The Guardians' Return
by Yami Hime Hikari
Summary: [2 of 3] During the Silver Millennium, Princess Serenity AND her Senshi had Guardians. They're back to protect their charges and fight a new enemy. But no one remembers them. How are they supposed to do their job when both sides are trying to kill them?
1. A New Cousin

**THE GUARDIANS' RETURN**

**Summary:** During the Silver Millennium, not only did Princess Serenity have guardians, but her Sailor Senshi also had Guardians. These ten girls are back, after 10,000 years of sleep, to protect their charges and to help fight a new enemy. But no one has any memories of these girls.

**Standard Disclaimer:** I own no SM characters, just OCs. You may not use my OCs unless you gain permission from me.

**Chapter One**  
**A New Cousin**

There was a slamming of a door. Kaioh Michiru smiled from this sink where she was washing dishes.

"Please don't slam the door Hotaru," she called as the teenager walked into the kitchen. Hotaru was a 13-year-old with chin-length black hair and at that moment was wearing a Crossroads Junior High School uniform.

"Sorry, Michiru-mama," she apologized distractedly. "Do you know where Setsuna-mama is?"

Michiru frowned slightly and dried off her hands before answering. She was concerned about her foster-daughter's absent-minded behavior. "I think she went back to the Time Gate," the aqua-haired woman responded. "She'll try to come back soon if she's allowed."

"Oh. I wanted to ask her something. I keep getting a feeling like…" Hotaru's voice trailed off as she found no words to describe accurately what she felt.

"Like something big is going to happen?" Haruka asked, coming in from the garage.

"Close enough," admitted Hotaru with a shrug. "I guess it's close enough."

"Something big _is_ about to happen," a familiar voice announced from the front door. The three companions whirled around to meet the voice's owner, Michiru's long aqua hair getting in her eyes for just a moment. "It concerns ours and our princess' safety; unfortunately I was not able to see anything else," the voice added, "for I am rarely allowed a glimpse of my own future." The speaker walked down the foyer and into the kitchen, a small smile gracing her tanned features as she regarded the frozen young women.

Hotaru was the first to shake it off and threw herself at the Time Guardian. Setsuna affectionately returned the young girl's embrace and looked over the dark head of hair at the other two.

"Haruka, Michiru, stop acting as though you'd just seen a ghost," she scolded. "You should have known this would happen sooner or later. It should come as no surprise." The Water and Wind Guardians nodded. They could feel their year of peace rapidly coming to an close, and another enemy coming closer with each passing second.

It was silent for a few moments before Setsuna spoke again and Hotaru broke away from her.

"On my way in I picked up the mail. Hotaru-chan, you've got a letter." Hotaru took it gleefully and fled to her room to read it in private as Setsuna distributed the rest of the mail: a racing magazine, the newspaper, and a pleading letter from a relative for Haruka; two magazines for Michiru. There was nothing for Setsuna, so she silently dried off and put away the dishes Michiru had washed.

Finally, Hotaru came out of her room and back into the kitchen, her face with a strange look on it, holding the letter. "I think you three should read this," was the only thing she said before handing it to Michiru and getting a snack out of the fridge.

The letter was written in English, the three eldest Senshi noted as they gathered around the handwritten letter and Michiru read it aloud, reading slowly as she translated it into Japanese.

It read:

"_Dear Hotaru,_

_I live in America and know almost squat about you or Japan. Okay, I know some little things—like that the country makes the best manga in the world—but nothing important. I can understand Japanese, but can't really speak it. Please don't ask._

_You've probably never heard of me, but I'm your cousin. I'm Hikari. I know my name is Japanese and that makes this all the more strange. I was reared as American so I'm afraid the only things Japanese about me are my looks, my obsession with all manga, and my name._

_My parents died recently in a construction fire and their will states that I have to go live with one of my living relatives. So I get to live with you since everyone else has died. I'm 13 years old and I spook the kids at school. You have been forewarned._

_People say I'm strange because I have this weird ability to heal, only I can't always use it on myself._

_My life so far has been a bit strange by the world's standards. I've been in a car crash and I've gone into a coma twice. Both times were caused by some unknown factor. The doctors think I may have some sort of illness because sometimes I have these weird 'attacks' where I suddenly zone out for a long period of time and when I come back to the real world, my body decides to believe it's been set on fire and I collapse. Yes, I know I'm strange. If you want, you can just ignore the paragraph this is in._

_Soon after you receive this, I should show up in Crossroads. I'm afraid I can't give you a definite date just yet. I'll give you any more info I get._

_Your cousin,_

_Hikari Yami"_

There was utter and complete silence as Michiru finished reading and the words of the letter echoed and etched themselves into each Senshi's brain. The four stayed frozen this way until to them it seemed as though they had always been this still with these words echoing inside their heads. Then the shrill ringing of the phone shattered the silence and they all jumped at least a foot into the air.

"Moshi moshi?" Hotaru asked uncertainly as she picked up the phone.

"Am I correct in assuming I am speaking to Miss Hotaru Tomoe?" a brisk female voice inquired in English. Hotaru was immediately struck with a image of a pompous secretary.

"Yes ma'am," she acknowledged politely in the same language, thanking her lucky stars she'd learned the language so well.

"Your cousin, Ms. Yami, would like to speak with you. I will give her the phone and then you will have ten minutes in which to talk before she leaves to the airport."

"Huh? Uh, okay," she replied, feeling she was supposed to reply.

"Hello?" It was a new voice that Hotaru did not recognize, but at the same time was one as familiar to Hotaru as her own, yet she couldn't summon a name or face to go with it.

"Hi." The Senshi of Destruction felt her mind go suddenly blank. "Are you Hikari?"

"Yeah. You're Hotaru." The same thing appeared to have happened to Hikari halfway across the globe.

"Uh-huh. Something you wanted to tell me?"

"Well, I just wanted to apologize for this being so sudden and appearing out of nowhere and being thrust on you and your family without you guys having a clue about me asides from being cousins." Hotaru smiled. She could just see the girl on the other end running her hand through her hair as she spoke. "I'd like to change that, at least a little. I don't really know anything about you, so could you fill me in on some things? Like maybe some things about your family? I know something happened to your parents, but nothing about what happened or anything beyond the words 'she doesn't live with her parents, so don't expect them.' "

"Did that lady really say that?" Hotaru asked with a giggle. Hikari had perfectly imitated the voice of the lady who had called.

"Yep. So now I'm breaking the rules," Hikari responded without missing a beat.

"Well, my mama died when I was eight during a construction fire."

"Oh. That must've hurt. Was your dad in the fire too?" Hotaru was grateful Hikari didn't offer any of the meaningless apologies that everyone else had offered when they had come to see her in the hospital or found out her mother had died. Somehow, those had hurt more than the guilt and pain of losing her mother. Hikari must feel the same way.

"Yeah, it hurt a lot. My papa was in the fire, but got out of there fairly unharmed. He was in the hospital room with me when I woke up." The others were listening with interest. Hotaru had never told them any of this, although they had found out some of it through hacking into the Infinity College computers. Hotaru ignored them and continued, "I felt guilty about it for a while, because she died trying to get me out of there. Papa died two years ago in an experiment. Now I live with three mothers who adopted me." She didn't tell her cousin that her true father had died in the fire with her mother and his body had become a super being, a union of human and alien and had later been destroyed by Super Sailor Moon.

"My mothers are Haruka Tenou, who is a racer and acts more like a guy than a girl and is the ultimate tomboy so I suppose you could say she's my foster-'father.' Then there's Michiru Kaioh, who's a famous violinist; and Setsuna Meioh, who is the nurse at my school and who I think has ESP." Hikari was quiet for a moment, then giggled.

"Yeah, I have three friends who act a little like that. 'Cept Miranda doesn't race unless she has to and then she leaves everyone in the dust. She's really girly whenever she can get away with it. Does Haruka race cars or motorcycles or run track?" Hotaru thought for a moment.

"I think when she was in high school or middle school she took track, but then someone introduced her to race cars and motorcycles and now she's addicted."

"I can see why. Some people just seem like they should've been born with wings on their feet; they're always going so fast."

"I agree. What was your family like?" She was just as curious about Hikari as Hikari was about her and in the split-second after the words left her mouth and before Hikari answered, Hotaru realized that that was the worst question in the world to ask. It would hurt more than most would because of the past tense ramming it home that her family was never coming back. Before she could apologize, Hikari was answering, but her tone was different. Hikari sounded like a lost little girl now.

"Well, Mommy was… really nice, but unless she was worried, she was pretty distant when it wasn't just me and her and Daddy. Daddy was…"

"Less nice?" Hotaru supplied.

"You could say that," Hikari said dryly. "He wasn't the most faithful husband, but Mommy refused to leave him. She was always saying he'd been seduced. But then every day when I'd come home from school she'd be drinking while he was away. I learned to stay away from her when Daddy wasn't home once I'd told her I was home."

"Did she do something to you?" Hotaru wondered suddenly aloud. Then she blushed and opened her mouth to stammer an apology.

"Don't bother." Hikari cut Hotaru off as though knowing what the other girl was about to say. For a second her tone was back to normal. "Once, I thought she was really scary because she was holding a bottle, sitting at the kitchen table, and raving at the air about what a horrible man Dad was. So I ran to my room and hid there. But Mommy noticed the clock about an hour later and roused herself out of a drunken stupor to call the school and find out where I was. They told her I had left and she searched the house for me. When she found me cowering in my room she started to scream and hit me, telling me she'd kill me herself if I _ever_ forgot to tell her I'd come home or that I was leaving. Aside from that one time, she's never laid a hand on me." Suddenly she gave a short laugh. "I can't believe I'm telling all this to someone halfway across the globe who probably couldn't care less. It's just… there's something about you that makes me want to tell you everything…" Her voice trailed off and Hotaru blinked. She'd never known she had that kind of power. But then again, she felt the same way with Hikari. There was just something about the other girl's voice, the way she talked, that made Hotaru want to spill out everything.

"Ms. Yami, your ten minutes are up," Hotaru heard a voice say in the background.

"Give me a minute," Hikari snapped back in a normal tone. It sounded like she was covering the phone with her hand. "Hotaru? Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"You're gonna think I'm crazy, but I want you to tell me if you understand what I'm gonna say next."

"So say it already."

"I miss you, Saturn." That was it. But somewhere in the back of Hotaru's brain, a voice said something was different, that something about those four words was wrong, besides the obvious 'Saturn' part.

"What did you just say? That you miss—" Hotaru began to ask, her suspicions quickly rising from nil to very high.

"So you understood me?" Hikari interrupted. It was impossible to say which voice held more shock. There was another comment from the lady in the background. "Sorry, I gotta go. See you soon? I'm not sure when my flight is scheduled to get there."

"Okay. I'll try to get Michiru or Setsuna to pick you up at the airport."

"Arigatou. Bye." There was a click and the call was ended.

She turned back to her foster-parents.

"So do we pay for that call, or do they?" she asked, returning to her native language of Japanese.

The three eldest Senshi just blinked and silence reigned.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Halfway across the globe and a few hours later, there was a figure illuminated by the light of the crescent moon dressed in deep purple sitting on a low stone ledge at the edge of a pond. The young woman's hair was cut in a bob and was blacker than the night, and she wore gloves that reached her elbows. There were thick white bracelets resting on her wrists. The left one had a pale yellow crescent moon on the underside of one and the pale purple sign of the Senshi of Saturn on the underside of the other. The top of each bracelet displayed a dark purple gem. She wore a sleeveless top and shorts. Her boots reached just past her knees and were the same color as the rest of her clothes.

Tears slowly falling from her violet eyes, she reached down and dipped her hand into the water and made an arc with her hand in the water, disrupting her image. As she did this and pulled her hand out of the water whispering, "Guardian of Neptune, I wish to speak with you."

The language she used was not English, Japanese, nor any other language still spoken on the planet.

The water close to the edge of the pond lifted into the air, twirling and twisting to form a large oval connected to the pond. After a moment, the water began to cascade down from the oval and back into the pond, leaving behind a young woman about eighteen dressed in a uniform similarly to the one who had spoken. The only change in the outfit was the color, aqua and her symbol on the underside of the right bracelet, the Senshi of Neptune.

Quickly, she vaulted up onto the stone ledge and sat down next to her young summoner, sea-green hair swirling around her, making her look like a mermaid.

"What did you summon me for? Remember, it's daytime where I was. I can't have you summoning me for your every little whim." Then she appeared to notice that her friend's shoulders shaking ever so slightly. Laying a hand on one of the smaller teen's shoulders, she asked gently, "Titan? What's wrong?"

Titan turned to look up at her friend, and the repressed tears that Titan's pride refused to let fall glistened in the moonlight. Reacting on a combination of instinct and reflex, the older teen hugged Titan. That was what undid the younger girl. Titan's arms wrapped around her friend and she put her head on the young woman's shoulder as she began to sob in earnest.

The scene held like this for a few minutes; Titan just crying and her friend holding and rocking her as though Titan were a baby still. This scene scared the older teen, for Titan was not someone who showed her emotions in such a form, if she even showed them at all.

Then Titan lifted her head and pulled away. The older teen noticed with relief that the tears were stopping. Wiping her tears away, she made a comment in forced tone using the same language the other girl used, the one she had used herself for the summoning. "Are you doing okay, Triton? I haven't seen you in a while." Triton nodded, her sea-green hair swirling around her again.

"I'm doing fine," she answered seriously. "But you're not. What's happened to you?" Titan sniffed and wiped away more tears that had begun to quickly roll down her cheeks again.

"They're dead," she told her knees simply. Then her tears fell in a torrent and Triton was too shocked to react this time.

"But—last time we talked to you they were fine. You said so yourself."

"Well, they're not anymore." Titan's words were broken by her sobs.

"So that's why—"

"Why I haven't been talking to you guys," Titan finished for Triton.

"But we should've sensed something! We should've known that something had happened to hurt you like this!"

Titan shook her head and didn't bother to wipe away the tears blurring her vision.

"No. You couldn't have," she informed her friend as her voice quavered with barely restrained emotion. "I cut the connection really soon afterwards and none of you would have known unless you'd been searching for me with your mind."

"Why did you do that?! If something happens to you and you're in trouble, that mind connection can be the only way for us to know!"

"You sound like the Queen now," Titan commented, knowing it would shut the aqua teenager up.

Triton blushed. In the past, she had often made fun of the Queen's over-protectiveness of her daughter's guardians.

Suddenly, something slammed into Titan's back, throwing her off the ledge, into the water with a cry of pain and shock. Even as her friend fell into the water, Triton was jumping off the ledge and turning to face the adversary. Before her was a man dressed in a thick robe, holding two daggers in his hands, with quite a few more stuck in his belt, and a maniacal grin stretching his face.

"Triton," Titan called, clumsily hoisting herself out of the water, "would you mind pulling this out of my back? It kinda hurts. But don't take your eyes off him." Triton nodded and took a step or two back so she could reach her friend's back. She felt for the dagger handle, and, upon finding it, yanked it out of Titan's upper back. Titan bit her lip to keep herself from crying out from the pain as warm blood gushed down her back.

"Now give me the blade." She held out her hand without looking at Triton. Surprised by this request, Triton took her eyes off the man just long enough to shoot a confused glance at Titan.

But it was enough.

Immediately, Titan tackled her to the ground and Triton felt and saw a blade whiz past them. There was a dull thud and clattering as it hit the stone ledge and fell to the ground.

"See now why you don't take your eyes off him?" Triton nodded as her injured and sopping wet friend helped her up. The man was no longer grinning. He was glaring at Titan, who gave him a malicious smile in return as her eyes turned to dark blocks of ice.

Triton could see no trace of the sorrow that had been there scarcely a moment before, nor could she see any other emotion a kind, decent human being like she knew Titan was would have. "Now give me the stupid blade already. And this time don't take your eyes off him," Titan added. Triton had learned a long time ago not to deny the girl something when Titan used that tone, so Triton gave her younger friend the dagger. Moving so fast Triton could barely see the movement, Titan threw the bloody dagger at the man.

Perfect bull's-eye. He didn't even have time to stagger backwards, falling straight backwards and onto the ground. Before the blood could cover the scene or even spill out the wound too much, his corpse was engulfed by dark fire.

Triton looked at her younger friend. Titan's symbol, a soft yellow crescent moon behind the sign of the planet Saturn, was glowing upon the girl's forehead, and she held a naked sword in her hands. Titan held it in a vertical two-handed grip with the blade inches from her cold face. The black fire left the man's body in threads to flow around and inside the blade. As the fire touched it, the blade began to glow silver. When the blade had sucked up all the fire, there was nothing left of the body or clothes. It had all become the black fire.

Titan let go of the still-glowing blade and let it fall. Just before it hit the ground, it vanished and Titan staggered. Reacting quickly, Triton caught her friend and helped her back to the stone ledge to sit.

"Are you okay?" Triton asked in concern, still supporting Titan. She could hear Titan's labored breathing and felt the younger girl tremble in her hold.

"Stupid question, isn't it?" Titan rasped. Then she groaned and Triton felt Titan go limp and collapse against her. So Triton reverted back to her normal form with an elaborate dress that she personally considered a waste of yards of cloth. Still supporting her friend the older girl ripped large, makeshift bandages from the dress, binding up her friend in an attempt to stop the bleeding of Titan's wound.

She had just finished and transformed again by washing her power over herself when Titan moaned slightly and returned to consciousness. Triton helped Titan sit up, although Titan still needed to lean heavily against Triton. Titan's face was pale and her eyes had begun to glaze over with pain.

"Any better now?" Triton asked. Titan nodded, an incline of her head so slight that it was only noticeable by the movement of her hair.

"I need to get back. I said I was going for a walk," she laughed softly, "so the idiots will start to wonder where I am soon."

"That's not nice," Triton chastised as she helped Titan stand. Together they slowly began to make their way down the street away from the faint evidence of the fight, Titan reverting back to her civilian form in the darkness from lack of energy. The two warriors vanished under the cover of night.


	2. Nightmares and Shockers

**Planet Names from Silver Millennium:**  
Suisei: Mercury  
Kinsei: Venus  
Kasei: Mars  
Mokusei: Jupiter  
Dosei: Saturn  
Ten'ousei: Uranus  
Kaiousei: Neptune  
Meiousei: Pluto

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Sailor Moon, so don't sue me. People I own are: Titan, Triton, Yami Hikari, Ms. Botch, Ani.

**Chapter Two**  
**Nightmares and Shockers**

Tsukino Usagi jerked awake in bed, clutching her covers to her chest. She was dripping in cold sweat, gasping for air.

"Not _again_," she groaned, rolling out of bed and pulling a notebook out of her desk. She sat down with a pencil and began to write down her dream. Within ten minutes, this urge to record her dream, the feeling that this dream _must_ be remembered, was gone and she was herself again.

The future Queen climbed back into bed, awakening Luna as she did so.

"Huh…?" Luna mumbled, seeing only the darkness of night outside. "What's goin' on?"

"Nothing, Luna," Usagi mumbled. "I just had a bad dream. I'm going back to sleep." So Luna put it from her mind and curled back into a warm, black ball, fast asleep within seconds.

Usagi lay awake a much longer time, her dream playing over and over in her head. This dream of her past on the Moon as Princess Serenity bothered her more than most did.

Part of what bothered her the most was that she was only now regaining certain memories. One of the first things she'd remembered was Endymion being killed by Beryl, defending Serenity. Then, painful memories of her short mourning and sudden suicide had flooded her mind; but she had never thought that something might have happened in between the two events.

But something had.

Her Senshi were busy fighting and not doing so well against the Earth Generals, so there was no one to protect her. She had forgotten the war raging around her, forgotten everything but that her beloved Endymion was dying in her arms.

Until now, she had not remembered that there had been another warrior who saved her life during that battle.

_Usagi had never learned the warrior's name, but this woman, perhaps five years older than Serenity, had knocked the princess out of the way of a dagger meant for her heart. The dark-haired woman had shoved Serenity to the ground, taking the hit herself. The dagger hit the strange warrior in the chest, just far enough to the right of her heart that she would live a few minutes more, but causing red life blood to gush out over the woman's dark and ripped uniform, staining it more than other cuts had._

_The warrior had smiled at Serenity, saying, "You are much bigger than the last time I saw you, my Princess." Then the warrior's dark eyes had saddened, almost as though she knew exactly what Serenity planned to do. "Please, not yet, Serenity." Ignoring the blood that poured down her side, the warrior stood, facing the brown-haired man who had attacked Serenity._

_The princess froze in horror as the woman asked quietly, "Ani, do you remember me?" The man smirked at her, his brown hair being ruffled by the wind._

_"I don't know how you know my true name," he said, "but I know I remember you only from the reports. You are a threat to my Queen. Thus, you must be eliminated."_

_"Have you met me before?" the warrior asked in a low voice, summoning a glowing silver sword from a space pocket._

_"If I'd met you before," he drawled, concentrating a large amount of black energy into a ball in his palm, "I'd have had the opportunity to destroy you. I have never before had such an opportunity."_

_The woman merely sighed, muttering to herself, "Guess I've got no choice now. He'll destroy my Princess and home."_

_So she raised the sword glowing with dark purple power over her head and slashed downward, her eyes tired yet determined, almost cold as they mourned what was coming. Dark energy surged out of the blade's tip, as much a sharp blade as something forged by a smith. This energy struck the man through the heart, cutting him clean through from collarbone to waist. He died instantly. Serenity was just able to keep herself from being sick._

_Suddenly, as the woman swayed, the ground between her and the man cracked and split wide open, swallowing both the dead man and the dying warrior. Moments later, the Moon Princess took Endymion's blade and stabbed herself through the heart._

Until now, she had never remembered these people.

That hurt.

The thought that she had forgotten about someone who had saved her life sent waves of guilt swarming through Usagi. Part of the reason she'd written it down was a vain hope that then the pain would lessen.

Ever since returning from the Cauldron of the Stars, she'd had dreams similar to this one. Most were less than pleasant. But some… some were wonderful dreams, happy ones. Unfortunately, the nightmares were causing her to lose plenty of sleep so she was tired and occasionally fell asleep in class from something other than boredom.

"Darn it," she muttered to herself, noting her clock read quarter till four. "I wish these dreams would just leave me alone! I'm going back to sleep. I'll talk to the others about it tomorrow." With these words she rolled over and made a conscious effort to fall asleep. Thankfully, it worked and she slept the through the rest of the night and her blaring alarm.

"USAGI! IT'S AFTER EIGHT!"

Usagi jerked awake and, as she pulled her uniform over her head, shouted, "MOM!!! Why didn't you wake me?!" Then she ran down the stairs, grabbed her satchel and lunch and ran out the door.

Mrs. Tsukino sighed. _This happens every morning,_ she thought to herself before realizing that Usagi had actually been up and dressed most mornings for the past year when Mrs. Tsukino had come to get her daughter. That in itself was a wonderful miracle.

But still, Usagi's mother just couldn't shake the feeling that something, something big, was different about her daughter. This feeling had been slowly growing since Luna had shown up. It wasn't a strong, or even really upsetting feeling, so Ikuko had dismissed it. However, it had kept resurfacing over and over, becoming stronger and making Mrs. Tsukino more worried. The feeling of uneasiness and something different made itself most prominent the morning or day directly after a Senshi battle. Maybe it was the look in Usagi's eyes, the 'I-already-know-but-am-pretending-I-don't' look that Usagi wore every time when she was told about the Senshi, something Ikuko had seen through from the very beginning. She had never pressed her daughter about it, but something told her to find out right after the next Senshi battle. So Ikuko listened to the little voice. After the next Senshi battle, she would wring from Usagi just how she knew so much about the Senshi and the battles when she didn't listen to the news or read the paper or have any way of finding out before Ikuko did. That decision made, her mind was at ease and the mother began to clear the breakfast dishes.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

That same morning, Michiru awoke with a headache and an uneasy feeling—the feeling of a nightmare forgotten. Something bad had happened last night, she was sure of it. She had a strange feeling that someone she was close to was very worried about an ally who had been severely injured. Michiru didn't question the feeling; she just knew it to be as true as any image she received from her Mirror.

So who or _what_ is it that's bothering me so much?" she wondered to herself, pulling herself out of bed and padding out of the room, careful not to awaken Haruka who slept in Michiru's king-sized water bed.

"I love you, Ruka," whispered Michiru, worrying about the feeling, soon deciding she could do nothing about it. _Oh well,_ she thought with a mental shrug, _I'll get breakfast on the table and worry about this feeling later._

She entered the kitchen in her housecoat and slippers, pulling out the breakfast dishes for their small family and laying them out on the table. She started cooking and soon pancakes and biscuits were on the table with bacon in the over. But she was not able to dilute the feeling of uneasiness or her headache. If anything, both increased when Hotaru came bounding into the room, up and ready for breakfast.

Setsuna and Haruka soon followed, Haruka groaning about how hyper Hotaru was and couldn't she tone it down just a little? Haruka was not a morning person. Setsuna just shook her head and stopped short when she got a good look at Hotaru, all color draining her face.

All activity instantly ceased. Haruka and Michiru moved to catch Setsuna if she fell when released from her newest vision. Hotaru sat down at the table, trying to be as small as possible, worrying and wondering about Setsuna and how the tanned woman had reacted to seeing her and why it had triggered a vision. She couldn't really come up with any definite ideas, unless it had been something from the Silver Millennium.

Hotaru scowled blackly at the table inches from her nose. There was still so much that she didn't remember, so much that only came back gradually, things that she didn't even realize she'd remembered until she was forced to call upon the memory for some reason or some scene in this life was eerily similar to one from the Silver Millennium. It was slowly driving her insane. _Why can't I just remember everything?!_ she screamed silently. _Why can't I remember my old life?!_

Then Setsuna snapped back to the present, accepting Haruka's and Michiru's support and bringing Hotaru out of her inner anger and frustration.

"What was it?" Hotaru asked softly as the Time Guardian sat down at the table across from her.

Setsuna sighed and rubbed her temples as though she had a headache and began to explain.

"I saw… you. It was you as you are now in your school uniform sitting at the table, with the vision superimposed over everything. This room and everything and everyone here was a sort of faint background I could see only if I squinted. I was in a black marble palace and two girls, about seventeen or so, were laughing and running down the hallway. Each one was dressed in a dark purple dress and both wore your face, Hotaru. I guess one was you and the other was a sister or relative, I'm not entirely sure." The silence following this statement was absolute. Hotaru closed her eyes, a memory from her past life lingering at the edge of her consciousness, just out of reach. She couldn't quite remember what it was, but the idea of chasing someone her own age down the dark hallway was very familiar and didn't sound the slightest bit strange. But she couldn't quite reach the memory and it soon slipped back into darkness.

So all she did was open her eyes and utter one word. "Oh."

There was nothing more to say and silence reigned the table.

This silence was broken by the blaring timer, signaling that the bacon was ready. Michiru went to get it out of the oven before it burned, and they all sat down to eat breakfast before going off to their separate lives. The vision was not mentioned again, nor was there much table conversation. Each Outer Senshi was lost in her own thoughts.

Minutes after they finished eating, Hotaru ran out the door, heading for school. Michiru had promised the young girl that she would call the school if Hikari's flight came in before school ended and pick her up. They weren't entirely sure when Hikari's flight would be in, but it was a good guess that it would be while Hotaru was in school unless the flight was delayed. If any of them had thought to look at the clock when Hotaru hung up with her cousin, they could've had a better guess. Unfortunately, none of them had.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

As Setsuna began to head out the door, the phone jangled loudly, attracting her attention. When no one else picked up the phone, she did so herself.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Are you Ms. Kaioh, Ms. Tenou, or Ms. Meiou?" The voice was female, seemed middle-aged, and was _very_ obnoxious.

"Ms. Meiou," Setsuna answered stiffly. She didn't like this lady. "And who are you what is your business?"

"I am Mrs. Botch. The name really doesn't suit me, but until Ms. Yami arrives at your house, she is my charge. Our flight has been delayed and so I am forewarning you that she is a little brat and somehow managed to get into trouble last night when we landed for refueling in Europe. She managed to get someone to sink a knife into her back, at least that is her story. All I know is that she came back supported by some strange blue-haired girl in a costume similar to what your Japanese Sailor Senshi wear. She hasn't spoken a word to me since and I see little reason to attempt to reason with her as she will not listen. My main purpose to calling is to warn you of the rebellious behavior she has been exhibiting and that our flight is coming in at 7:45 tonight and it would be very helpful if we were picked up since this is a strange city. Goodbye."

There was a click and the woman had hung up before Setsuna could say a word in response.

"Michiru?" Setsuna called up the stairs after staring at the phone in her hand for a few minutes and finally hanging up. Michiru was soaking in the tub, complaining of a migraine. "Hikari's flight should be getting here at 7:45 tonight. Can you pick her up or do I get the honors?"

"I'll do it," Michiru shouted back down. "You just go to work and don't worry about it."

"Okay," Setsuna agreed. "I'll see you tonight," she called to the house as she shut the front door behind her and got into her car and drove off to the middle school where she was a nurse.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Hino Rei was distracted as she walked to school. The night before she had had a strange dream. She had a feeling it was one of her premonition dreams, but she couldn't quite remember it. There were people in it, ones she felt she should know, but didn't. The priestess was pretty sure Phobos and Deimos were in it too, but she wasn't sure. What she did remember was this:

_She and the Senshi were out in the park. The others were transformed and didn't notice the untransformed Rei. It was just the same as in her other visions: she herself was not there. She was more of an observer or like an invisible ghost or spirit._

_Facing the Senshi were ten figures in uniforms similar to what the Senshi themselves were wearing. Rei couldn't see their faces because all ten girls were standing in partial shadow but she had a feeling the were arguing with the Senshi over something. Rei could see lips move, but heard no sound._

_Somehow, when Rei looked at each of them she had a feeling of different elements. When she looked at the two black-haired girls with uniforms whose hair reached past their knees—what Rei could see of them—were like gymnasts uniforms but with shorts and short boots, she felt flames and saw them in her mind's eye._

_So she moved on to the next girl, one in a uniform with shorts instead of the miniskirt the Senshi wore. The girl's hair was in deep shadow and Rei couldn't make out how long it was or her outline. Even so, Rei looked and felt Time. She could almost see the Time Gate and could tell this mysterious stranger could easily control it._

_It was similar with the rest of the girls, being too far into the shadows for Rei to make out anything about physical appearance except that they wore shorts instead of the skirt the Senshi had. With each one she felt and saw an element. She saw ice, water, wind, thunder, love, and earth._

_Love was golden rings of hearts and felt the love for her friends._

_Ice became ice and snow surrounding her in all directions and felt the biting chill._

_Wind was gusts pulling at her and a hissing sound running past her ears._

_Water was oceans with the sound of waves lapping upon the sand._

_Thunder was the middle of a thunderstorm, with lightning and thunder all around, resonating deep inside her._

_Earth was green things growing, and a need to protect this planet and its protectors with her very life._

_But these were not the strangest of all. The strangest came in looking at the final girl. This girl's silhouette seemed like Saturn's. They were about the same height and same length hair. When Rei looked at this shadowed girl, she felt the girl turn to look at her. When this happened, Rei caught a glimpse of dark eyes amid the black shadow of night. The Soldier of Fire couldn't tell if the eyes were deep purple or black. But in these eyes was an expression that froze the blood in Rei's veins._

_These eyes were colder than ice and devoid of real emotion. These eyes said, "I will destroy you if I need to to reach my goal. Don't get in my way." The power Rei saw and felt seconds later was of destruction and death. This girl could—and would—kill with her power with less effort than it took to flick her wrist. She would use it to reach her goal and worry about the results later._

_Rei opened her mouth to speak, and woke up._

The dream quickly faded from her mind, but Rei had a feeling that it was not a mere dream, but a dark premonition of something to come. She brooded on it as she walked, not noticing the path her feet took.

Ramming into Usagi woke her from her musings.

"Ow," she grumbled as she got to her feet. "Watch where you're going, Usagi-chan." She was still a bit preoccupied, and now she had a raging headache and quite possibly a bump on her forehead. Usagi didn't look much better.

"Are you okay, Rei-chan?" she asked, not seeming to worry about the pain her own head must be feeling.

"I'll be all right," Rei mumbled, looking up and realizing she was near Usagi's school and was lucky she'd left so early to avoid being late for her own. She would need the extra time. "Say, Usagi-chan, do you have a minute? I know class starts soon, but I need to talk to you."

The blonde looked to the school gate and back at Rei, knowing she was going to be very late again if she did what her heart insisted she do. The Fire Soldier looked so distracted and worried.

"I've got time. Haruna-sensei will just have to wait." Rei smiled gratefully as they went and sat on a nearby bench.

"Last night I had this strange dream," she began, not sure exactly what she was going to say next. "We were all in it and we were in the park, facing this group of girls. There were ten… I think. I can't really remember much of the dream anymore, but it feels so _important_. It seemed like you were asking them questions and we didn't like the answers too much. The group of girls were in shadow and were wearing uniforms similar to ours. I couldn't see much, but when I looked at each girl I felt one of _our_ elements. When I looked at one of the girls, I felt Time and its passing and the ability of that girl to control it. There were two girls who had fire like me, and they seemed more like one person in two bodies than two separate people. I saw ice, wind, water, love, thunder—I saw all our abilities but yours, Serenity." In the distance, Usagi heard the school bell ring, but ignored it. Rei was far more important, especially now that the priestess was referring to Serenity rather than Usagi. Usagi felt she had to stay with Rei even if a earthquake suddenly came.

"I don't know why, but those people—they felt so familiar. It was like we knew them. Did we?" Rei, Usagi realized, was looking at her with a beseeching expression on her face, something Rei did _not_ do.

"I don't know," Usagi admitted, looking down, feeling an awesome sense of guilt and humiliation. She felt as though she had just failed some huge test. "We may have. I don't remember. I'm sorry, I just don't know."

"That's all right," Rei reassured her leader and friend. She looked down at her knees, trying to stop her furious blush. Why had she lost control of herself? She showed her feelings to Usagi, feeling like Usagi had all the answers and wanting just one. Why had she expected that of Usagi? Surely their leader would tell any resurfacing memories involving them. "Hadn't you better get to school? I think I heard the bell." Usagi nodded.

"We need to have a meeting after school today. Once I get out of detention, anyway. I'll try to get Luna to tell the four," Usagi told the priestess as she got up. Rei nodded, not even bothering to try to process the sudden character change in Usagi by the laziest of the group calling a meeting herself. It was a sure sign that something big was happening when Usagi of all people called the meeting. Everyone was going to be at this meeting, both the Inners and the Outers. Usually, Usagi would tell the Inners in person and then contact the Outers with the communicators if something came up since the Outers had better resources for discovering things.

The girls parted ways, hurrying to their schools and first periods before the teachers started to wonder if they were sick. Detention slips were going to appear from thin air when they walked in. Lucky them.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Yami Hikari was aboard a plane en route to Japan and was currently focusing almost all her mental energy and willpower on staying conscious. The tiny portion not absorbed in this all-important task was musing over the events that had happened to her since she was sent to board with the agency her father had been involved with.

She had been told she was going to live with her cousin she'd never met, move to a country she'd never been to and knew nothing about, had to learn a much more of language no normal human being could learn in two weeks, and was going to be subjected to quite possibly more emotional torment than her mind could stand upon arrival. What a lovely month. Plus, the obese lady in charge of her, Ms. Botch, hated Hikari's guts, and did little to hide it. If Hikari had the choice between reliving this past month, or a day of pure physical torture, Hikari would pick the path of least pain and go with torture.

Slowly, as her grip on consciousness began to weaken again, Hikari's mind turned toward the thought of Hotaru. Hikari had a strong feeling Hotaru was Sailor Saturn, which was why she'd said that phrase over the phone. Of course, she didn't use Japanese or English when she did so. Hikari had made sure to use a language only the Guardians, the Sailor Senshi, their Prince, the Shitennou, or their Princess could understand. Maybe the Yami people—if any had been reborn—would recognize it too.

Was Hotaru going to be the kind and gentle person she had been in the far past, or would she be a cruel child who would take every opportunity to cut Hikari down? Hikari hoped fervently for the former, as most of her life everyone had been the latter. Her self-esteem level had dropped significantly, especially when one of her best friends had all but called her a spoiled brat to her face.

"Can I really trust anyone anymore?" she wondered softly before losing her grip on the real world entirely. Her last conscious thoughts were: _Does she remember me? Does she still love me?_

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Ms. Botch stole a sly look at Hikari's pale figure next to her on the airplane. The girl's head was leaning against the window. She really didn't look very healthy. The teenager was paler than usual, and looked a bit green. Of course, her charge's health was of no importance in comparison to the possibility of drinking wine aboard a plane—though Ms. Botch knew quite well that if she kept drinking at her current rate, she could get into the Guinness Book of World Records for Worst Hangover in Recorded History.

If Ms. Botch had some good luck, perhaps her dark-haired and gloomy charge would die soon once the brat settled down in Japan. It would save some work since Ms. Botch would have to check on Hikari every six months unless she died or got adopted. The gray-haired, plump lady had no desire for Hikari to be happy, so death was the only other option. Hopefully, the brat would do another such number as she'd done the night before and this business would all be over quickly and Ms. Botch could finally marry her boyfriend.

Ms. Botch settled deeper into her seat and tried to sleep and ignore the beginnings of a throbbing hangover.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Hotaru struggled to stay awake through her math class. If she got detention she might not get to greet Hikari when the girl showed up. Hotaru badly wanted to greet her cousin, almost as badly as she wanted a friend in this century her own age.

"Tomoe-san, please write the quadratic equation on the board," came the droning teacher's voice as though from far away. So Hotaru stood up, walked to the board, and mechanically wrote the equation on the board. Then she looked over what she had written. X equals -b ± (plus or minus) square root of b squared -4(a)(c) all over 2a. Yep, it was right.

"Very good, Tomoe-san, you may return to your seat." So Hotaru returned to her desk and her stupor and wondered more about her cousin. What did Hikari look like? Was she likable? Overly smart, like Ami? Stupid? A bully?

Hotaru realized yet again just how little she knew about her cousin. The Senshi of Destruction kept up this train of thought all through math class and the rest of the school day until she arrived back home to find Haruka and Michiru putting a second twin bed in there.

"WHAT ARE YOU _DOING_?" she yelped, belatedly realizing that Hikari would end up sharing a room with her.

"We're putting another twin bed in," Michiru snapped. She wasn't upset at her daughter, but the bed was _heavy_. "We reckon that Hikari will need some sort of constant. Since she'll be going to school with you and is the same age as you, it's you. Besides, if she's staying here until she can move out on her own, we can't just put her in the guest room, now can we?" she added as they put the bed down and shoved it against the wall and got it into the corner away from the window.

The room was painted dark purple like Hotaru's power. It was a color Hotaru had loved her whole life. The only light came from a large window which the adults had pulled the light purple curtains away from, and the many lamps Hotaru had everywhere. She still loved collecting lamps.

"Hikari's plane should arrive at the airport around a quarter to eight so Michiru said she'll pick Hikari and her guardian up," Haruka informed her daughter as the two of them pulled on the sheets on the bed.

"Can I come too?" Hotaru pleaded with the Senshi of Water.

"You'd better stay here," Michiru cautioned, walking out of the room. "Don't you have a lot of homework?"

Hotaru groaned and hauled out her English book.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Chiba Mamoru turned around in his airplane seat, deciding to observe his passengers. He was getting bored on this flight and there was nothing interesting to look at outside the plane window. His gaze passed over several people before seeing something interesting in the two seats behind him. Or rather, in the seat directly behind him sat a young girl, all decked in black and looking like a carbon copy of the old Hotaru. If he hadn't spoken to the youngest Senshi before getting on the plane, he would've thought she was the girl slumped against the window.

He stared at her for a good ten minutes, worrying about her. Her face was very pale and she looked uneasy in addition to looking like she should be hospitalized for blood loss.

Just as he was about to look away, the girl's eyes opened slightly as she groaned.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she rasped in English, her voice just loud enough to be heard.

"You look like a friend of mine and in addition to that, you look like you should be in the hospital instead of on a plane. How did you manage to get on here, anyway?" he wanted to know, using the same language.

"Lady next to me said I always look like this. She's never liked me in the first place." Mamoru noticed her eyes had opened the rest of the way and were now gazing at the ceiling longingly and occasionally glancing at the snoring woman beside her and back to the ceiling as though trying to figure something out.

"Do you want me to get something for you?" he inquired politely. She smiled at him gratefully.

"I've got some manga in my backpack up there. If you could grab one of the books it would really help. I don't think I can get out and get it on my own." Mamoru got up and looked into the overhead compartment.

"What color is the backpack?"

"Red. It's fairly large." Mamoru found it and unzipped it. Inside were many books, manga and some mysteries he had wanted to read for a long time. "Hey, I know some of these! May I borrow one?"

"Sure," she said, "so long as you give it back when we get off. You can just bring the whole bag down. It'll make things easier." So Mamoru zipped the bag back up and pulled it down.

"May I put the bag in my empty seat?"

"I guess. But that means you get to hand me books every time I finish one. That'll be about every half hour."

"Then where else could I put it?" The girl maneuvered herself clumsily and held out her arm that had been against the wall a moment ago.

"Just hand it here. I'll keep it on my lap and you get a new book that way if you finish whatever one you read first." So he obligingly handed her the bag. She nearly dropped it on her traveling companion before getting it onto her lap one-handed. She looked up to see Mamoru looking at her left arm curiously, as she had not moved it once. She couldn't help but smile.

"I hurt my shoulder last night," the girl explained. "I don't want to risk any more muscle tearing by moving the arm."

"Did you hurt it badly?" Mamoru asked as he sat back down, reaching over his seat to pull out a book.

"Not really. I got stabbed by some jackass. It wasn't that deep, but I think it would be better if I don't move too much." She finally selected her manga and started reading, a clear sign she considered the conversation over.

"One last question: what's your name?" She looked up abruptly, blinking.

"I'm Hikari Yami. Who're you?"

"Mamoru Chiba." Hikari looked vaguely surprised. Mamoru glanced down at the manga in the girl's hands: _Sailor Moon_. "It's really weird that I have the same name as a manga character." Hikari nodded, the strange look in her eyes fading.

"But I've heard the Senshi are real in Japan, just not officially recognized. Are they?"

"In Japan, sure. But no one knows who they really are so that author is probably just making up whatever she wrote about the Senshi." Hikari nodded slightly and went back to reading.

Hours went by and twice did Mamoru reach back to pull out another book. Ms. Botch slept through it all. When the pilot announced that they would be landing momentarily, Mamoru turned around again to return Hikari's book. He found the young teenager slumped back against the seat, her face even paler than it had before, if that was possible. Mamoru felt worry explode inside him, the same way it would if this happened to Hotaru. He reached back and shook her left shoulder, the one closer to him. Hikari came awake with a cry of pain and instantly tears began to pour down her cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Mamoru demanded. She nodded, trying to stop her tears.

"You just made my shoulder hurt more though. Thanks for waking me up." Mamoru frowned. She had brushed away his question, acting as if her shoulder in her pain was nothing, though he could see how much it pained her.  
"I'm sorry," he tried to apologize, but then the plane began to unload and Hikari had turned her attention to her unconscious partner. She shook the woman's shoulder, hard, and the woman awoke.

"What?" she snapped.

"It's time to go," Hikari replied coolly. She and the woman got off, leaving Mamoru behind. He collected his stuff from the Baggage Claims center. There he saw Hikari and the obese woman with her sitting in the waiting area with two suitcases. He headed over to them.

"Are you waiting for someone?" he asked before thinking, _Well, duh._

"My aunt is supposed to pick us up but I don't know if she'll be able to make it," Hikari answered, holding the book he had returned to her.

"Do you have her phone number?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I was thinking maybe you could call her to make sure she remembers." Hikari frowned at that.

"Do you know any of your relatives' names?" Mamoru asked.

"My cousin's name is Tomoe Hotaru and she's thirteen. That's all I know." Mamoru blinked. He rattled off the Senshi of Silence's phone number and asked if that was the phone number Hikari knew. Hikari nodded, wary.

"Just wait here a second. I know her. I'll see what's going on." He walked over to a phone booth and used his phone card. He waited patiently as the phone rang until Michiru picked up.

"Moshi moshi?" she asked.

"Michiru-san? It's Mamoru. I'm at the airport and apparently Hotaru-chan's cousin is here. I can bring her over if you want." There was shocked silence on the other end.

"KUSO!!! I FORGOT! Will you, Mamoru-san? Please? I'm a bit tied up right now."

"Sure thing, Michiru-san. Just don't blow out my eardrum next time. Where's Usako? Last thing I heard, she was going to be here."

"She had detention and when she got home, her mother grounded her. I'll call her and tell her after you drop off Hikari you'll come see her. Is that all right?"

"Hai. See you soon."

"Goodbye."

"Bye." There was a click and Mamoru headed back to Hikari and Ms. Botch.

"Your aunt wants me to take you over," he told them. "She forgot about the time." Hikari nodded and got up. She and Ms. Botch followed Mamoru to his car and got in the back.

Hikari promptly fell asleep and Ms. Botch soon followed, complaining about her headache.

He woke them both up when they pulled up in the drive. Hikari's face lit up when she saw the garden around the house. She refused to let Mamoru carry either her backpack or heavy suitcase. The three of them walked up to the front door and Mamoru rang the door. As Mamoru did this, Ms. Botch squeezed Hikari's left wounded shoulder and the Prince of Earth heard Hotaru's look-alike cry out softly. Mamoru shot a look at Ms. Botch just before the front door opened.

"Hello, Mamoru-san. Are you Hikari?" Setsuna asked looking at Hikari who was staring at the ground.

"I'm Hikari," the child in question replied in Japanese. Mamoru heard footsteps and then Hotaru, Michiru, and Haruka were also at the door. Hotaru took only one glance at Hikari before speaking.

"What happened to you?" she demanded in English.

"I got stabbed in the back, literally," Hikari responded wearily in the same language. At this comment Ms. Botch let go and gave Hikari a slight shove where her shoulder was injured and Hikari stumbled forward. Hotaru caught her before she collapsed.

"Come on, let's get you upstairs," the Senshi of Destruction told her cousin. "I think I can do something about that shoulder of yours."

"Demo—" Hikari started to protest.

"No 'buts.' You need to get cleaned up, and I think I can take care of that shoulder." So Hikari sighed and gave in, barely protesting as Hotaru took her suitcase and led her up the stairs, easily supporting some of Hikari's weight.

The adults were silent for a moment as they watched the two girls vanish upstairs. They were silent a moment more and then the Senshi of Wind and Water started in on Ms. Botch. So the plump woman explained about Hikari, sketched a rough idea about how she believed the girl would act, and then requested a ride back to the airport. She said she had to catch a flight home. Mamoru took her and then went straight to Usagi's house.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Hotaru helped Hikari into the bathroom and informed her cousin she needed a bath. Hikari gave a tired grin.

"Can't I sleep now and clean up later?" she asked in English. Hotaru shook her head.

"Michiru will throw a fit," she replied slowly in the same language. "Trust me, cleaning up now and letting me see what I can do about your shoulder is good." So Hikari sighed and slowly pulled off her shoes and socks as Hotaru turned on the warm water.

"Is this warm enough for you?" Hotaru asked. Hikari stuck her finger in and nodded. It felt just right. "Do you want me to close my eyes and turn around?" Hotaru wanted to know. "That way you can get in without worrying about someone watching." Hikari nodded, blushing slightly. Hotaru gave her a reassuring smile as she turned away and closed her eyes. When she heard water splashing, she opened her eyes and turned around. What she saw shocked her.

Hikari's chest and left shoulder were wrapped in bloody makeshift bandages. If Hotaru had to guess, she'd say they were originally blue or greenish in color. The rest of her back was coated in a thin layer of blood, both dry and wet.

"Could you help me out a little here?" Hikari asked with a crocked smile. "I can't get these off on my own. And would you _please_ stop staring? It's uncomfortable." Hotaru blinked and moved forward to help with the bandages. Once she got them off, she took a washcloth and dipped it in the warm water before lightly rubbing it over Hikari's back, to get rid of the excess blood so Hotaru could see what she was doing. Hikari flinched away the moment the washcloth touched her shoulder.

"That hurts," she protested.

"Hold still," Hotaru ordered. "I know it has to hurt but I can't see what I'm working with if there's all this blood." So Hikari held still. Once Hotaru had gotten rid of the excess blood, she saw a vertical cut, as though Hikari had been hit with a knife. She cleaned her hands again and placed one on Hikari's shoulder.

"What're you do—?" Hikari started and stopped as she felt healing magic enter her body. Her body relaxed almost involuntarily as she felt Hotaru knit her torn muscle back together, making it as strong as before, healing the torn veins and skin, and replacing the blood she had lost. Mamoru had been right. She really _should_ be in a hospital, if only from blood loss.

Automatically, she grabbed the power messing with her body and started to draw a bit of strength from it. She didn't take much, and once she realized what she was doing, Hikari quickly stopped. It wouldn't do to have Hotaru suspicious of where her power was going.

Unfortunately, she needed that strength. Her eyelids began to droop and she couldn't focus her eyes on anything. She was so tired and weak. She thought she could hear someone calling her, but she ignored them. Right now, the only thing important was sleep and rest. If only she could rest like this forever. Her shoulder didn't hurt anymore. All around was comfortable, warm darkness.

Suddenly a voice shouted in her mind, _Wake up or you'll die! You trying to kill your sister?!_ Hikari forced herself to leave the comforting blackness and open her eyes. She saw Hotaru's frightened face in front of her. Now her shoulder felt like it was being stabbed again.

"What's wrong?" Hikari mumbled in English.

"You could've died is what's wrong," Hotaru shot back, relief coloring her face.

"Huh?"

"Can you stay awake for awhile?" Hotaru asked, evading.

"I think so. You might want to keep an eye on me, though."

Since you're already wet, you want to wash your hair too?"

"I'll need a lot of help from you, but sure," Hikari replied, wondering if Hotaru was asking simply to keep an eye on her. So they got to work. Or rather, Hotaru got to work. Hikari just focused on not going back to the comfortable darkness.

Once Hotaru helped her rinse her hair out, Hikari managed to get out of the tub and get a towel wrapped tightly around herself.

"You want to go back to our room and get some clothes now, wear your old ones, or wait till I finish and wear the towel until then?"

"I'm not sure I can walk. I'll just wait," Hikari said, fighting off a wave of dizziness as she sat down on the toilet seat cover. So Hotaru climbed in the tub and took her turn cleaning up. Soon, Hikari heard Hotaru getting out of the tub and wrapping herself in a towel.

"Come on. I left pjs and other clothes in the bedroom, so let's go," Hotaru told Hikari as she helped the weaker girl up. Within five minutes, the towels were returned to their proper places, the girls were dressed, and Hotaru was bullying Hikari to get some food.

"You said I could sleep after I cleaned up," the American protested, laying down on the twin bed farthest from the window.

"No, I said you needed to get cleaned up immediately. If you don't get some food in you, your sugar level will drop more and we don't want that. The more sugar you get in you, the more energy you have, and the better off your body is. Unless, of course, you want to spend your first night here in a hospital."

"So once I get food, I can sleep?" Hikari's voice was hopeful. "I hate hospitals."

"Maybe. You need to get introduced to my mothers and your aunts."

Hikari sighed.

"Then you'll have to help me downstairs. I'm too dizzy to try to walk." Hotaru pulled Hikari to her feet in response and began to head toward the door.

Soon Hikari and her new family were gathered in the living room, eating some sugar cookies Hotaru had found. They talked for a few minutes about their pasts, house rules, where Hikari would be going to school, and various other things. They helped Hikari with her pronunciation of Japanese and before the hour was up, Hikari was speaking in Japanese almost as much as she was English, and then the conversation turned toward families.

Hotaru told about her mother and father, and an edited version of how she'd come to live with the three women; Haruka and Michiru explained how they'd met and come to live together; Setsuna said that she'd come to live with the others after promising to help care for Hotaru. Of course, the one fact never mentioned was that Hotaru had died and been reborn and was a baby and then a young child those first six months.

Once they'd all told their stories, Hikari finally got her wish and went to bed. As Hikari was drifting off, she heard Hotaru's voice.

"Huh?" Hikari asked sleepily.

"I said, do you like it here so far?" Hotaru repeated with a yawn, looking around. Except for the window, and one lamp above Hikari that the girl refused to turn out, it was pitch black.

"Yeah. You guys are lucky. You've got a new family." With those words, Hikari's brain turned off and she slipped into slumber.

Hotaru started. New family?! What was Hikari saying? Sure, she knew that Hotaru's parents had died, but… She sighed. This train of thought was too confusing.

"I'll just ask her about it in the morning," she grumbled as she rolled over and dropped off.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Death and destruction… blood… dying innocents… the Senshi… warriors, each and every one. Why did she have to see this again?! Hikari Yami, wearing in a deep purple dress, walked upon the bloody surface as she witnessed yet again the deaths of those she held most dear.

"No," Hikari whispered, automatically turning toward the castle's entrance. There stood Beryl, raising a sword over her head, facing Crown Prince Endymion who was shielding the Moon Princess with his own body. Suddenly, Queen Metallia of the Dark Kingdom appeared behind her, giving her black power to shoot at the Prince, killing him.

Once again, she stood rooted to the spot as people ran through her semitransparent spirit and she saw the bloodied warrior in her torn uniform catch sight of the man preparing to throw a dagger at her princess. Hikari saw the warrior tackle the grief-stricken princess to the ground, taking the blow herself. Hikari doubled over in pain, clutching her chest, though she was not the wounded one. She watched silently as the woman questioned the man, the man she loved, and then destroyed him. The woman's tears slid silently down her cheeks for no more than a few moments before the ground between her and the dead man cracked and split deep into the Moon's surface from the power overload.

The woman fell, her former love also falling, as the Moon Princess took her lover's sword and drove it between her breasts. Hikari collapsed on the ground, sobbing. Why did she have to see it again?! Why?! She closed her eyes and covered her ears, curling into a fetal position as she sobbed. It didn't help: she still saw everything. It was burned into her memory.

Queen Serenity came running out of the palace the moment she felt her daughter's spirit depart. She summoned the Silver Crystal and used all of its power to send her daughter and her guardians through time to Earth in the late 20th century. Having done so, her lifeless body collapsed atop the steps.

Then the scene changed.

Hikari straightened out of her ball, still sobbing silently. She froze when she saw the scene beneath her. The girl was floating in space, looking down at Sailor Saturn, who was gazing at the Moon, far away and barely visible. She was holding her Glaive in one hand as she stood upon the rocky soil.

Suddenly Saturn doubled over, only her grip on her weapon keeping her standing.

"Baka," Saturn hissed. "What did you do to yourself, Titan?" Then a bright light—deep green, sea green, and blue—surrounded her and she was taken to where the other Outers awaited.

The scene changed again and Hikari found herself in a temple, the four Outers on the outer steps, conversing quietly. Sailor Saturn said something and the others were silent. Saturn jumped into the air, going up and up until she was hovering in space outside the planet's atmosphere. Once out there, she looked around, an expression of sorrow on her face. She sighed and lifted the Glaive.

"No," Hikari whimpered. "I didn't see her die the first time! I don't want to see her die now! She… she… can't… die…" Saturn did not hear, nor did she notice the spectral floating beside her in space. She whispered three little words with her weapon above her head.

"Death Reborn Revolution."

The Silence Glaive slowly dropped until its blade rested against its mistress' thick boot. The Senshi under the protection of the Silent Star watched without a sound or movement as purple power shot out from the weapon, spreading quickly. Within moments the entire Solar System was encased. Only Hikari remained untouched.

From the farthest edges of the system in, the power worked. It destroyed all life first at the Oort Cloud and slowly moved inward toward Saturn. All life on Meiousei was destroyed and the bodies turned to dust, but the Charon Castle remained, floating gently above the planet. The dark power stayed there, dormant, until its mistress called it back.

_I'm sorry,_ she told her friends silently, knowing they were down there on the surface as the power went to work on Kaiousei, leaving only the Triton Castle behind. The bodies and blood were destroyed, as on Meiousei.

This process continued on the Sun, destroying all possibility of life and then it moved to Earth. All left alive was Elysion and the shrine. Helios and the shrine maidens were grateful, knowing that Saturn would not destroy them, had no knowledge of their existence. Earth was changed, all hint of magic wiped out, as were the people.

Saturn and her power skirted the Moon for the moment. Kasei was next. Fortress and life destroyed, the dark power stayed, waiting to be recalled. Phobos Deimos Castle still remained, a fiery promise.

Suisei. Closest to the sun, but magic had protected it enough so the entire planet was in a permanent Ice Age. But that magic keeping the worst of the Sun's heat away was useless against the power of the Senshi of Death. Intelligent people, they had made the most technologic advances out of all the planets. All destroyed. As the power lurked, looking for remaining life, it demolished all the technology and traces of humanity.

Kinsei. The goddess of Love had lived there. Her people died, calling her. Their homes crumbled and turned to dust. The dark power stayed, waiting the next command to kill. Magellan Castle floated in the atmosphere, shielded from Sailor Saturn's power.

The Asteroid Belt. The Asteroid Senshi remained sleeping, their presence hidden from the power of Death.

Mokusei. _These people were always up for a fight,_ Saturn recalled. Their many cities, people, and animals, all wiped out with those three little words. All life destroyed. Io Castle rested in the atmosphere, almost taunting Sailor Saturn. Saturn smiled to herself. Maybe another time.

Ten'ousei. High mountains; fairies with attitude; plant life; people; civilization; all dust. Miranda Castle still remained, floating there, protected from Sailor Saturn by some power.

Dosei. _My home,_ Saturn thought sadly before allowing her power to destroy that too. Her mother, father, sister, friends, servants, people, animals, all life, extinguished. She could feel the Silver Crystal's power wrapped around her, waiting for her to die so it could fulfill its mistress' final command. Her power rested on the planet of her birth, growing stronger as it waited. Titan Castle was protected, untouchable, floating within Saturn's vision.

Kaiousei. The people were both warriors and scholars, capable of picking up weapons and slaughtering the enemy but just as happy to work things out with a treaty. In an instant, all those people, every building, every trace of civilization was destroyed as the power of the Silence roared.

Meiousei. A planet dedicated to guarding Time and great believers in eternity. Everything there was built to last millennia or longer. Sadly, nothing would last longer than the next few seconds. Saturn could feel Charon Castle blazing with magic, something protecting it from destruction ever as all those within and all around died and shriveled into nothingness.

Finally, the Moon. A place Saturn sometimes considered home more than her birthplace. The Queen was dead, many were already slaughtered. Princess Serenity's four guardians' spirits were there no more, their bodies already dust. So were the Prince and Princess. The power of Destruction got rid of the blood and bodies, and anyone unfortunate to still be living, but left the crumbling castle behind.

Then Saturn slowly brought the blade of the Glaive upright again. She leaned her forehead against it. _Please,_ she prayed._ Let me have enough power for this one last thing before I must die._ The young adult could feel her power, begging to be released to destroy her, its mistress.

Taking a deep breath, quite aware it would be one of her last, Sailor Saturn, guide to the Land of the Dead, Senshi of Silence, used her power to recreate the Solar System.

Earth, the Sun, and the Moon remained the same, with one tiny change. There was life, a baby and a young woman on Earth. There was no life on the Sun or the Moon, as neither could support life any longer. The Moon no longer had an atmosphere, it having had living organisms as part of that. The Sun had never had any true life, and all imitations had been demolished at the source.

Suisei became a hard, dry planet, incapable of supporting life. There was no more ice, no more life. _Mercury,_ Saturn thought sadly, memories of the Ice Maiden drifting across her mind as she moved to the next planet, drawing the power inward.

Kinsei was given a thick and poisonous atmosphere, raising the temperature quite a bit. _Venus, she was so cute and happy._

Kasei did not change too much, but its orbit changed slightly, as did that of the other planets, so it had no possibility of supporting life. _Mars, so protective and such a temper for a Senshi._

Mokusei underwent a great many changes, draining greatly the Senshi. No longer was it a rocky planet, thunderstorms galore. Now it had become a gas giant, with no solid surface. _Jupiter wouldn't be too happy about this if she were here. She likes things to hit. I'd be her new target._

Ten'ousei also became a gas planet, but the effort to do so took less power. _I'm almost glad Uranus isn't here,_ Saturn thought momentarily. _She'd kill me for this._

Then she turned to the water planet. By the time Kaiousei had made the change, Saturn was barely able to concentrate. Her power was screaming at her to let it go, to turn on her as was right. Saturn must die to pay for all she has destroyed.

She didn't manage to fully change Meiousei. Her power swarmed in around her and she gave in as the planet's orbit and atmosphere was altered. Nothing more was possible. She could feel her strength fade and looked at her hands only to see them turn to dust as she was destroyed and died. Hikari screamed as she watched this.

In the end, only Hikari was left, once again on the Moon, sobbing. "Why do you make me see it over and over again?!" she screamed as tears pour down her cheeks in buckets. "WHY?!" She kept crying for what seemed like an eternity, until she had no more tears to give. Only once this happened did her mind take in that all signs of the battle had vanished, and only the ruins of the crumbling castle remained.

"Hikari?" a voice asked. "Is that you?" Hikari's head shot up as she looked around wildly for the speaker. _I'm alone,_ her mind said rationally. _Only the Queen is here, and she'd never call me that. She may not even know that's my new name. There's no one else here. Who is it?_

There was a figure bathed in shadow coming toward the steps where Hikari sat in her dress, somehow clean after being bathed in blood. Hikari peered at the shadowy figure. Once it got closer, she recognized it.

"Hotaru," she realized softly. "So she _is_ Sailor Saturn." The figure came into view and it was Hotaru… with one difference. She wore the deep purple dress with long gloves she had worn after Eternal Sailor Moon defeated Queen Nephrenia and was cleansing the Earth and banishing the Dead Moon. The gloves were past her elbows and the bodice was a bit low, coming up in a point between her small breasts. There was a matching choker around her throat. (Think princess dress from SuperS 4)

"Hikari," the girl said. "It is you. What are you doing here?" she asked, sitting down next to the exhausted girl. Hikari pulled herself up into a sitting position on the crumbling steps.

"Crying," she muttered, wiping her eyes. "What about you?"

"Don't know. I was asleep and I guess I'm dreaming."

"Does this hurt?" Hikari asked, reaching out and pinching Hotaru, _hard_.

"OW!"

"It's not a dream, not all of it, anyway," Hikari added under her breath.

"What did you see?" Hotaru asked. That look of guilt and loss and utter destruction that Hikari wore was frightening, even to the youngest Senshi.

"I saw…" Hikari drew a ragged breath, trying to decide something, "the destruction and fall of the Silver Millennium. I watched the Prince and Princess die, then the Outers, and then… the 'rebirth.' " Her voice turned bitter with the last word.

Hotaru frowned. How much did Hikari already know? "What do you know?" Hey, blunt was best.

"You're Sailor Saturn, Michiru is Neptune, Haruka is Uranus, and Setsuna is Pluto. Unless my memory has decided to play tricks on me, Mamoru is Prince Endymion of the Golden Kingdom, and now he'd also be Tuxedo Mask." Hikari's voice was emotionless. Hotaru felt goose bumps rise on her skin when she heard Hikari's voice. Now she knew how the Senshi had felt as Saturn had laid out the reasons everything led to destruction and what she was about to do just before dropping the Silence Glaive.

"How did—?"

"You weren't here in the beginning, were you?" Hikari's voice was bitter. "If you'd seen it again, you'd know." Then she turned to Hotaru, her eyes full of sorrow and loss. "Why'd you have to do it? I mean, I get that it was your duty and if you try to go against it you'd die in more pain than if you didn't resist, but still… You killed… everyone."

"I didn't have a choice," Hotaru started.

"Yes, you did!" Hikari shouted. "The others left their posts; why didn't you?! You could've gone to the Moon where the fighting was and protected Serenity instead of staying in the safe wasteland like a coward! You could've fought instead of just hiding out!"

Hotaru stared at her, shocked. It felt as though she'd been punched in the gut so hard the fist had come out the other side. No one had ever said such things before. She didn't understand why it would hurt so much, coming from a near stranger. Maybe that was why.

Hikari saw the look and her own expression turned to one of shame, though the sorrow and some of the anger was still there, directed at another source. "I'm sorry," she apologized, dropping her eyes to the crumbling stone she sat upon. "I didn't mean to blow up at you like that. I know you'd have done something different if you had the choice. I just can't get over it…" Her voice had gotten softer and softer until it trailed off, as though her thoughts were elsewhere.

"But, how did you know their names?" Hotaru asked, once she felt she could speak again.

Hikari gave a humorless, tight-lipped smile. "You could say it's because I'm a Sailor Moon fan."

"So you'd go running up to her to get an autograph?"

"No. I've never thought someone's autograph was good for much. Besides, I said 'fan,' not _fanatic._"

"So how are you a fan?"

"I used to own all the manga and DVDs. Read up on accounts of the Internet. Been interested since it first came out in the US. I knew it wasn't just a little kid TV show." Hikari was staring out at nothing, then suddenly sighed and fell back, lying flat against the marble floor, crossing her arms behind her head. "How long 'til can we go home?" she grumbled to herself, seeming to forget about Hotaru for the moment.

"So eager to get away?" The voice was light and sweet and feminine. There was understanding, maturity, loss, and love in the voice. Both girls whirled to face the entrance. A lone woman stood there, white dress and silver hair billowing around her in a sudden light breeze. The girls froze in shock, their mouths hanging open.

Queen Serenity laughed. "I'm real, don't worry. Since you're both asleep, I will feel as real to you as the ground beneath you," she assured them.

"It's real," Hikari grumbled as she got back up and knelt on one knee. When she had tried to spin and get up, she'd gotten her skirts tangled and landed flat on her face. "My face hurts."

"Well, it wouldn't if you would stop trying to fight with things," Serenity chastised, gently teasing. Hikari grinned reluctantly as the Queen turned to Hotaru.

"Princess Saturn, please come here," she requested, holding out a hand. Hotaru walked over to her old ruler and was surprised as she received a warm embrace.

"You're turning into a wonderful young woman," Serenity told Hotaru, breaking the hug and holding the girl at arm's length. Hotaru smiled shyly. She could almost remember the Queen making these sorts of comments before.

Then Serenity turned to Hikari and beckoned. Hotaru practically dove out of the way, to miss being run over by a speeding violet blur. Hikari was hugging the Queen tightly and crying into her chest, in a way that Hotaru could almost recognize. Serenity spent a few minutes calming the girl and stopping her tears before looking back up at Hotaru again.

"Which is more comfortable for you," the Queen asked, "your Senshi form; your civilian form; your princess form; or the one you're in right now, your princess form with Hotaru's personality and memories as the prominent ones?"

"I'd have to say the one I'm in right now, your Majesty," she answered shyly. Serenity smiled and nodded before turning her attention to Hikari to convince her to let go. Once she succeeded, she sat down, Hikari next to her, and Hotaru came over.

"I'm sorry to make you go through that again," were the Queen's first words, "but it was necessary. Hotaru, the Senshi are going to have a new enemy soon. One they can't defeat on their own. One they have no knowledge of. Not even Pluto has any idea how to win. So you will have help. My daughter had more guardians than just you Senshi. You Senshi also had guardians that protected my daughter. They will help you, seeing as how they are not yet dead." Then she turned to Hikari. "How did you…?"

"It wasn't intentional, Mama Sere," Hikari started, squirming a little. "But when the Senshi died, and you sent them through Time, we weren't dead yet. Not completely. And because we were bound to them, we couldn't kill them by dying and had to live. So we were wrapped in the remains of the Crystal's power and locked in the center of our Castles. We were stuck inside crystal coffins until our charges were born. Then we were sent to Earth and had to find them. You couldn't have known."

Queen Serenity sighed. "No, I don't suppose I could have," she agreed. "There was no way of knowing the way your power would turn out, bonding the way it did."

"Excuse me, your Majesty," Hotaru put in, confused. "But you said we have a new enemy. Why are you telling the two of us? Why not Serenity or Venus or Uranus? They're in charge. Why tell Hikari? She's not even a Senshi." Queen Serenity smiled.

"Because you control the powers of Death, Destruction, and Rebirth. You need to know what will happen."

"Close to a planet-wide slaughter, if we're not careful," Hikari muttered.

"So be careful," the Queen reprimanded. "Hikari is here because she is one of the Guardians. She knew who her charge was in this life from the time she was four. When you were supposed to die in that accident and did not, your power was revealed to her.

"The other Senshi will learn of this threat quickly enough, I imagine. But I'm afraid I'll need to adjust your memories of this conversation," Queen Serenity said regretfully, reaching a hand toward Hotaru's forehead. "It is not yet time for you to know Hikari's identity or anything about the Guardians. I'm sorry." The Queen's hand pressed lightly on Hotaru's forehead and the girl closed her eyes. She could feel her sovereign's power doing something and then… only the blackness of sleep.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Hikari jerked awake in bed, throwing off the thick covers and racing for the connecting bathroom. She barely made it in time. She swore viciously whenever she wasn't emptying her stomach for a good while as she knelt in front of the toilet. After about an hour, she heard someone open the door and a murmur of sympathy. To busy vomiting to worry or care, Hikari ignored them until she felt cool hands holding her head, and, once she was done, washing her face.

"Michiru-san…?" Hikari rasped, her voice weak and ragged from vomiting. She was so tired, she could barely see.

"Yes, it's me," a voice told her softly as the hands wiped another cool cloth across her face. "Are you sick? You didn't look this bad earlier."

"I don't know…" Hikari tried to say more but Michiru stopped her.

"Ssssssshh. Quiet. Just answer with a nod or head shake, okay?" Hikari nodded, her head still over the toilet.

"Good. Do you think you're done?" Hikari was quiet for a moment, checking her body's responses. Then, slowly, she nodded.

"Do you want to go back to bed?" Immediate nod.

"Silly question," Michiru commented with a smile. "Would you like to get another bath and clean up and then just go back to bed? I can clean up here while you get yourself clean." Hikari looked down at her front and grimaced. She _needed_ another bath.

"Okay," she rasped. "But the only other pjs I have are for summer." Michiru was silent for a moment.

"Why don't you just stay here for a moment and I'll get you some of Hotaru's to wear. You look to be the same size." Hikari nodded and Michiru left momentarily, only to return with a clean set of flannel pajamas. "Start the water, strip, and get in the tub," Hikari was ordered. "When you're clean you can come out, not before. You are _not_ sleeping on clean sheets with a filthy body. I don't want to wash those things again in the morning. Just put the dirty pjs here by the toilet and make sure the clean ones stay clean. Then you can go to bed." Hikari nodded gratefully as she started the bath.

Once she finished, she let out the water and drew on the borrowed pajamas. Great fit. Not too tight or too loose anywhere. She thanked Michiru with a hug and staggered off to bed again, out cold before hitting the pillow.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Usagi was awoken by a familiar sensation early the next morning. Luna was calling and shaking her.

"Mmm?" was the only response.

"Usagi, you have to get up," Luna ordered. "Hotaru called a meeting at her place. It started forty minutes ago." That did it. She was awake.

"Why would Hotaru-chan call a meeting?" Usagi asked, slipping out of bed and changing into jeans and a red blouse.

"She had another dream. Your mother spoke to her."

"WHAT?!" Usagi screeched, staring at her advisor, forgetting to keep her voice down.

"Usagi," Ikuko's voice called warningly.

"Sorry, Mom," Usagi called back. "I stubbed my toe." Then she turned her attention back to her partner. "What was the dream about?" she asked, putting her hair up in the two customary buns.

"I don't know," Luna sighed. "She wouldn't tell me. I went over when I heard about the meeting and was sent back here to get you."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Usagi demanded as she pinned her brooch on her shirt. Better safe than sorry.

"You looked like you needed the sleep."

"Hmm," Usagi replied, not paying the most attention, gazing at the notebook still out on her desk. Making up her mind, she scooped up the notebook and Luna and headed downstairs, Luna riding on her princess' head.

"Mom, could I go to Michiru-san's?" she asked, finding her mother in the kitchen.

"Does she know you're coming?" her mother wanted to know.

"Last night she asked me to come over this morning," Usagi lied. "I think something's wrong."

"All right, you can go. I know how much your friends mean to you. You'll be there all day?" Usagi squirmed. "Probably. I'll call you if I plan to go anywhere else," she promised. "Bye!" she called, heading out the door.

"Goodbye, honey!"

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Meanwhile, Michiru slowly trod upstairs, to Hikari and Hotaru's room. Their guest hadn't come down yet, and hadn't been awake when Hotaru had called the meeting. Just to be safe, Michiru was going to ask Hikari not to come downstairs while the meeting was going on. There was no point in inviting trouble.

She rapped on the door and received no answer. So she pushed the door open to see Hikari, still pale, beneath her covers, fast asleep, clutching something. Michiru put the breakfast tray on the nightstand between the two beds.

After a few moments under Michiru's gaze, Hikari woke up.

"Hi," the girl said. "Thanks for last night." Michiru smiled and sat down on the bed next to Hikari.

"Hi yourself," she said softly. "How are you doing?"

"Better, I think. I'm still a bit queasy," Hikari admitted.

"Well, there's breakfast on the tray if you want any," Michiru informed her.

"Where is this leading to?" the American wanted to know, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"Well," Michiru started, "we were hoping you would stay up here for now. There's a meeting going on downstairs. It's really just a gathering of friends, but we'll be talking about some private stuff, so if you would…"

"It would've been simpler if you just said I needed to stay up here and out of the way for a few hours or so," Hikari informed the aqua-haired woman. "Sure, I'll stay here until one of you says I can come down."

"Thank you," Michiru sighed. "I didn't want to offend you, but the meeting _is_ private. I'd better get back downstairs." Hikari smiled as Michiru kissed her forehead, then impulsively the teen hugged her new 'aunt.' Michiru stiffened for a second, then relaxed, returning the younger girl's embrace. Then she stood up and left.

After watching the woman leave, Hikari lay back down, the food next to her forgotten.

"I wonder what Hotaru remembers of last night," she murmured to herself. Then she rolled over and drew a sketch pad and pencil out of her suitcase and put her doll back. The doll was a tiny thing, only from the heel of Hikari's hand to the fingertips, and was well worn. It had been made by a small child who was fairly good at sewing—when she could sit still long enough. Hikari smiled at the memory. Her sister had never been good at staying still when she could be doing something more productive. The doll looked exactly like Hikari and wore a purple dress.

Shaking thoughts of her sister from her head, Hikari sat up and began to sketch.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Michiru made it downstairs just as Usagi and Luna burst in.

"Sorry we're late," they both apologized. Haruka and Rei opened their mouths to start lecturing when Hotaru piped up.

"Guys, Mamoru-san probably already told you this, but yesterday I had a cousin that I'd only found out about the day before show up. She's into Sailor Moon." Shocked silence was the answer.

"I knew there were Sailor V manga," Minako began, "but when did Sailor Moon come out?"

"I think it was a little less than four years ago," Mamoru said. "The author is Japanese, and over in America, Sailor Moon is considered a little kid's TV show. That's the way all manga or comics are treated."

"That's not fair!" Usagi shouted. "I've worked hard! We've battled _how_ many monsters and all we get is 'you're for little kids'?!"

"Quiet, Usagi-chan," Michiru chastised. "Hotaru-chan's cousin is upstairs. What if she hears you?"

"Besides," said Mamoru, adding insult to injury, "over there they don't believe the Senshi are real." Usagi, Rei, and Mina almost shouted their indignation before Luna reminded them that Hotaru's cousin was only separated from them by a thin celling. They were silent then.

"Hey, Setsuna-mama," Hotaru asked, looking at the Time Guardian, "can I bring Hikari-chan down to meet everyone? I mean, they're over here almost every day anyway. I'm not saying tell her we're the Senshi, but she should know who it is that shows up all the time." Setsuna nodded her approval, and Hotaru ran up to get Hikari while Mamoru got grilled about the newest member of the household.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

Hotaru found Hikari, in her pjs, sketching. Hikari didn't notice her cousin until a hand covered her work.

"Yes?" Hikari asked, trying to keep exasperation from her voice. If Hotaru ended up badly smudging the drawing, there would be something very short of merry hell to pay.

"Do you want to meet my friends? I want you to, but you have to get dressed first," Hotaru said.

"Well, then take your hands off my work. I don't need it smudged. It's my best so far." When Hotaru removed her hand, Hikari examined the damage. There wasn't much and none of the darker lines had smudged. That was good. "You're bossy, you know that?" she commented as she put the sketch pad away and rooted through her suitcase for suitable clothes.

"Not as bad as someone I know," Hotaru countered as Hikari pulled on the black shirt and pants similar to Hotaru's. Then the two 'twins' went downstairs.

**±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±—°—±**

When they heard the two enter, all heads turned. Usagi stared in shock as Hikari looked them over. It was the girl from her dream! That warrior who'd taken the dagger for Serenity! She didn't hear as Hikari introduced herself, or when Mamoru questioned the pale girl about her shoulder. The Moon Princess didn't hear when Mamoru asked if Usagi was okay, nor did she feel Mamoru catch her as she blacked out.

Michiru immediately sent Hotaru for ice, but Hikari fetched it. "Should I go?" she asked as she handed the bag of ice to the Senshi of Water. "I mean, she was fine until she noticed me. Then she went all pale and this."

"Maybe that would be a good idea," Haruka agreed, sparing a glance for Hikari. "I'm not saying you did anything to her, but…"

Hikari nodded. "I know. I'll be on the porch out back." With that, she left.


	3. Guardians & Their Impact

**AN:** Okay, no one seems to be reading this, so I'll just keep writing and filling up cyberspace because I want to and this way I don't end up with my family and friends in the mental institute, babbling about Sailor Moon.

**Silver Millennium to 2005 planet names:**  
Ten'ousei: Uranus  
Kaiousei: Neptune  
Meiousei: Pluto  
Dosei: Saturn  
Kasei: Mars  
Suisei: Mercury  
Mokusei: Jupiter  
Kinsei: Venus

**Disclaimer:** I own the Guardians. That's it. Titan of Dosei, Yami Hikari, Triton, and Kaze Miranda are Guardians. They're mine. I will hunt you down and skin you alive if you attempt to steal them, got it? Good. Phobos and Deimos… um, not entirely mine, exactly. Their names, nor their servitude to Mars are mine. Their personalities and Guardian forms are mine. Their crow forms and normal (red & blue suits) are not mine. All miscellaneous/nameless people are mine. Everything I have not claimed belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. Keep reading.

**Chapter Three**  
**Guardians & Their Impact**

Hikari headed back up the stairs for her sketchbook before going out back. She wanted to finish that drawing, even if it _was_ of one of the sadder moments of her life. Some part of her knew she was just depressing herself even more, but after one thousand years with little else to think about, what else was she supposed to draw? So much of her life had revolved around her two princesses.

On the thought of the princesses, Hikari remembered the look on Usagi's face._ Shit_, she thought._ I'd hoped she wouldn't remember._ She was lying to herself. More than anything, she wanted her old friends to remember her. She needed them—and her sister—more than she needed to breathe.

As she silently slipped out onto the back porch and a swing, she unconsciously reached through her link to her sister. Nothing. No recognition, no love. No sister. No best friend. Realizing what she did only after the effects hit her, Hikari began to sob silently out on the swing, not noticing the worried minds brushing hers wanting to know what was wrong.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Meanwhile, Usagi was waking up.

"Ow," she moaned, putting a hand to her forehead and finding an ice pack there. Her friends were all standing over her, as worried as could be. "I'm fine," she assured them, sitting up slowly. She was lying on the couch.

"Why'd you pass out?" Minako demanded. "Did that girl do something?" As Hotaru protested in her cousin's defense, Usagi thought about how to put her answer. She decided on explaining her dream.

"You might want to look at this," she said simply. The others looked at her in confusion. Then Rei took the thick notebook and opened it to the first page. She stared for a few minutes.

"Your handwriting's terrible," was all the Soldier of Fire could say.

"Please, just read it," Usagi sighed, exasperated. So Rei read, and read, and read. By the time she was almost all the way through—into the dream of the green-eyed warrior, Usagi knew—Minako, Hotaru, and Haruka were showing their impatience.

"What's it say?" they begged, knowing their princess would not tell them. At first Rei could not answer.

"How long?" she finally managed, directing the question at her future queen.

"Over a month," Usagi whispered, staring at her knees.

"These six girls… how do we not remember them? They all were destroyed protecting us." The others waited impatiently for explanation as the conversation continued between their leader and one of her oldest friends.

"If I knew, I'd tell you. I didn't remember the woman who got killed for me until the night before last. That's the reason I tried to have that meeting." Usagi's voice held a slight note of bitterness, something unusual. She reached forward, flipping to the newest dream before settling back and letting Rei read it aloud.

Once Rei gave the notebook back, there was a moment of silence.

"So, do you think Hikari-chan is that woman?" Hotaru asked. Usagi merely nodded.

"That explains it," Mamoru said, sounding relieved. Then he turned worried and opened his mouth to speak again.

"But that means Hikari-chan is some warrior from the Silver Millennium!" Haruka replied, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "If she's been reborn and still has those powers, she may still fight any more enemies who turn up, or turn against us!"

"No, she won't!" Hotaru shouted. Rushing on, "I just know it! She's not against us! Besides, she knows Queen Serenity." There was shocked silence before questions erupted.

"When did they meet?"

"How do you know?"

"Did you see them talking?"

"Was she in your dream?"

"Does she remember?"

Hotaru soon blocked her surroundings out of her mind and focused only on her dream. It was something she'd always done. Let's see, what happened? She'd been floating around in space, seeing all the planets and people dying upon them, only the castles floating untouched. Then, she felt the planets change and she heard someone screaming and crying. Next, she'd landed on the Moon. The crying only grew louder, before stopping entirely. Walking around, she eventually saw a figure in a dress lying on the palace's crumbling steps. She'd asked if it was Hikari. Hikari had talked to her, wanting to know why she'd destroyed everything, saying who she knew was which Senshi, and then the Queen showing up and the hugs. Hotaru frowned; the hugging seemed really familiar, though she couldn't remember the Queen treating her like that. She continued with her listing. Nothing much could be remembered after this point. Some mention of Serenity _and_ the Senshi having Guardians, Hikari predicting a worldwide massacre, and an apology. Vaguely, she recalled that Hikari had hugged her and whispered something as the Queen had put her hand on the Senshi of Silence's forehead.

"I guess I'd better start with my dream. That's how I learned this stuff." So then she recalled her dream, what she could remember of it, and concluded, saying, "I think Queen Serenity _might_ have messed with my memories about the dream. Of course, I may have just forgotten the rest. It's just that there seems to be something important that I just can't grasp." There was silence, then Rei recounted her vision for them.

"We've definitely got another enemy coming," Setsuna said, "and maybe some allies. But how do we defeat an enemy we know nothing about?"

"Same way we beat every enemy, Setsuna-san," Makoto replied. "Beat it up over and over until it's gone. Unless it's some sort of Sailor Crystal taker like Galaxia. If it is, we give Serenity-sama our power, all of it, and then just let what happens, happen. And hope we don't betray anyone in the process."

They were interrupted by a knock on the front door.

"Hello, Miranda," Haruka said out in the foyer, opening the door to see the guest. "Why are you here?" The Senshi rolled their eyes. Couldn't Haruka _not_ be blunt, just once?

"I wanted to ask you and that friend of yours, Makoto, I think you said her name was, about something."

"Well, we're a bit busy right now. But I doubt you'll come back later?"

"Nope," the visitor replied with a merry laugh, "I'd just forget. Could I just wait out back on the porch or something until you're available?"

"That may be a few hours," cautioned the Senshi of Wind.

"Fine by me," the visitor agreed. "I'm free all day. But if I'm not home by the time you can only see the streetlights, there'll be merry hell to pay. I'll just wait in the back, okay?" Before Haruka had the chance to reply, the woman was walking around the wrap-around porch to the back swing where Hikari was. So Haruka returned to the meeting.

"Geez," she grumbled as she sat back down next to Michiru, "you'd think I'd have learned by now to never give that woman any room to negotiate."

"Who was that?" Setsuna asked.

"An old friend," Haruka replied, waving it off. "She keeps looking me up for races and stuff. She's been pestering me lately about running track again."

So then the meeting continued, speculating about the dreams and visions.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Kaze Miranda found Hikari on the back porch, crying. She had known the dark-haired girl almost all her life and felt responsible for her.

"What's wrong?" she asked gently, wrapping one arm around the trembling shoulders. Hikari just looked up.

"Mi—Miranda?" the sobbing girl asked in disbelief, staring at the familiar face. Miranda smiled.

"It's me. I'm here for you, little sister."

"I'm not really your sister," Hikari whispered before gripping her old friend in a tight hug and sobbing harder.

"I know, but we all promised to be like sisters to each other, didn't we?" Miranda asked softly, rubbing the girl's back. Her only reply was a nod and more tears. Miranda continued to comfort her friend, waiting for her to be calm enough to speak.

While waiting, she reassured the voices in both their heads that Hikari was merely sad and nothing was seriously wrong besides grief that was still being carried around after 10,000 years.

"It's not fair," Hikari mumbled into Miranda's shoulder. "I finally get used to her not being there anymore and then I feel her power. I get linked to her when I'm four and she's eight. She doesn't feel me and I can't help her when she gets depressed, so I get depressed again too and then when Mistress 9 gets control, I get to feel it too. I felt Hotaru die.

"Then it's just 'A'er and she _still_ can't feel me, because _she_ thinks I'm dead, and she starts to kill all the magicless people, and she tells Sailor Moon how to save everything because she feels bad about what she's doing, and then she dies _again_! And I felt it! I went into a coma because I'd been trying to reach her, and when I woke up, I felt her again, sorta. 'A'er was sleeping and Hotaru was a little baby. So I stop trying to reach her, because I know she won't hear me, and then I feel her wake up and I can't help her or protect her like I'm supposed to and then Galaxia destroys her and I feel it.

"After that, she's kinda there when Galaxia brings her body back and attacks the princess and then they all go to the Cauldron. That wasn't so bad for me, I mean, sure, I was in another coma until they left last year, but I knew what was going on and it didn't hurt so much. But Mommy and Daddy died and I got sent here. I'm seeing her every day and she doesn't remember a thing! She doesn't know me! Me, her twin, her best friend!" Hikari cried harder for a few minutes, before getting herself under control and looking up at one of her closest friends.

"I know I'm acting strange," she informed the blonde woman as she scrubbed at her tears with the back of a hand. "But it's like… when I'm seeing you guys again, my emotional wall is gone. I show just about everything. I mean, most of the time I'm still the darling ice bitch, but when I'm with you…" Miranda just hugged her.

"I think I get it. You haven't seen us in _years_, so you're happy about it, but you can't deal with any more emotion right now, so everything spills over."

"I guess that's about right," Hikari agreed. Then she brought up something that had been bothering her for a couple days. "Did Triton really… did she mean what…?" Damn, sometimes she just couldn't get her mouth to work right.

But Miranda understood. "No, she said that she'd been having an unbelievably bad day, just discovering that she failed three tests horribly, had forgotten a big project that wasn't going to be taken in late even though she'd spent absolutely _days_ on it, and a few other things. So she lashed out at you. She says she's sorry and there's no way to justify that comment, especially considering that you've never acted even remotely like the stuck-up brat she was implying."

"So not talking to you guys for… nine years or so doesn't count as stuck up?"

"No, baka, it doesn't," Miranda informed Hikari playfully as she lighted slapped the top of her friend's head. Then she turned serious. "You needed that time to be alone, and except for the past month and those times you were dealing with Saturn and her… having problems, you've kept the connection open so we could look in on you if we needed to. So that's good."

"That means… no one's mad at me?" the paler teen asked cautiously. Miranda brushed the mind bond connecting her to the girl sitting beside her and felt that the girl had emotionally shattered recently, along with a _need_ to have someone else be the strong one, the one in control, and have her friends be there for her, to not yell at her, but to tell her that everything was going to be okay. That was what Hikari needed more than anything just at that moment. The girl was ready to crack.

"We're not mad at you," Miranda reassured Hikari with a hug. "Everything's going to be okay. We'll get everybody together and talk and have a big happy reunion and you can cry some more"—Hikari made a face at this—"and then our charges will start to remember us. It'll be slow, but it'll be better than nothing. Just remember, we're always here for you, Titan." Hikari nodded, glad Miranda had used her old name. But it was time to change the subject. Besides, her stomach was growling about the breakfast still upstairs and it was a safe bet that Miranda was hungry too.

"You want to look at my sketches for a minute? I'm gonna go get my breakfast. I'll bring it out here and we can share." Miranda accepted the idea readily. She was always hungry.

Hikari slipped inside and back upstairs to the tray of food on the nightstand. She was extra careful not to make any noise when she slipped out the screen door connecting the kitchen to the porch. There was no reason to make the Senshi believe she was eavesdropping.

Putting the tray between her and the blonde woman, Hikari realized just how long Miranda had let her hair grow out. Though it was up in a ponytail, it was still just past her waist. That was a bit longer than she'd ever grown it, even during the Silver Millennium. Poking was required to get the woman's attention, which was strange. Normally the golden-haired woman seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to food.

"What?" Miranda asked distractedly, still staring at the same sketch in the thick book.

"A little thing called food," Hikari suggested, hands on hips. "A thing I went in to get so you could look at that."

"Oh, food!" Miranda's head jerked up and Hikari grabbed her work out of the woman's hands before something bad happened to it as Miranda grabbed the bagel and cream cheese. _I don't think I'll be eating much,_ Hikari thought in amusement before sitting down again on the swing and studying the picture Miranda had been so absorbed in. It only took a glance to see why this picture held the woman's attention so completely, even though she barely knew enough about art to realize when something was good or wasn't. _Of course,_ Hikari admitted to herself,_ I don't know much more._

The sketch was one of Hikari's favorites. It depicted two women linking arms and grinning cockily at the viewer, each with a sword in the linked arm and the free one in a fist, challenging. One woman was Sailor Uranus, Space Sword, strange boots, miniskirt, and all, while the other woman held similar features. There were slight differences in their hair length and uniform, but aside from that they could have been twins. The second woman wore a sleeveless top, short shorts, knee-length boots, all gold with navy seams and embroidery traveling the length, elbow-length gloves of the same color and design with thick, white bracelets with an amber inlaid in each. The gold uniform brought out the gold in the woman's hair, which was done up in a ponytail with a navy-blue ribbon and reached midway down her back—or it would have if there had been no wind. As it was, the women stood in front of a mountain in the distance and there appeared to be a strong wind. Hikari smiled for the first time in what felt like ages. No wonder Miranda was attracted to this picture: she was in it with her charge and cousin.

Looking down, she realized the food was all gone. Suppressing a groan, she gave the book back to her friend, first flipping it to another page. She prepared herself for strange comments and/or silence.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Dreams," Minako repeated disbelievingly. "That's all we're going on. We are going to ask a 13-year-old girl if she is a fighter from the Silver Millennium, based on _two dreams_. One from our own Senshi of Death, and the other from our Princess. No disrespect meant, but then why didn't one of us notice anything? If these Guardians are the girls in Usagi-chan's dreams, then why haven't we met them?"

"We may have," Haruka countered. "We probably just don't recognize them. After all, I, at least, don't have all my memories. I can remember bits and pieces, but all of it is either fighting with my parents, spending time with Neptune, training, fighting, or the battle at the end. I can sorta remember someone close to me who was supposed to protect me, but I always assumed it was someone of the Royal Guard of Ten'ousei."

There was silence, then Setsuna carefully asked, "Haruka-kun, do you remember what Ten'ousei was?"

Haruka blinked and rubbed the back of her neck. "Uh, not really. I guess it was a name of one of the Royal Families on one of the planets." Michiru smiled and slid her hand into her lover's.

"Close, but still wrong," she informed them. "It _was_ the name of a ruling family, but it was also the name of Princess Uranus' home planet. It was called Uranus only by the Earth people, and that because Ten'ousei translated to Uranus. That was how Sailor Uranus got her name."

"_How_ do you know that?" Minako asked.

"I just do," the Water Senshi replied. "I started to remember it vaguely when we studied the Solar System in Science class, a few months before I found out I was Sailor Neptune."

"Anything else?" the Inner leader wanted to know.

"About the planets? Not much. Just that Kaiousei was Neptune and Meiousei was Pluto. But those only clicked after I met Setsuna-san and found out her last name. Kaiousei was the last to click."

Mamoru was silent for a moment. "Usako, will you tell us about your other dreams?" Usagi was hesitant to do that, but she _had_ let Rei read them, and the latest one aloud, no less.

"All right," she agreed, but didn't reach for the book. "But is it okay if I just do a rough summary?"

"So long as you give us all the information," Makoto informed her leader. "Judging from the look on Rei-chan's face when she was reading those things, we need all the info, without it being sugarcoated." The miko had looked very sick when she read the dreams.

"I wouldn't have felt so sick if those visions hadn't been so damn specific!" Rei snapped at the Senshi of Thunder. "And reading about someone dying in front of you and you not remember it is enough to make anyone sick!"

They quickly fell to bickering.

"Girls! _SHUT UP_!" Usagi roared when they didn't stop after a good ten minutes. The accused immediately went obediently silent.

"Okay, here's the summary of the dreams," she said softly once all was silent. She wanted to keep them quiet. "In the first one, Sailor Mercury was fighting, Princess Serenity a ways away, and when Zoisite tried to stab her, this other blue-haired warrior showed up and took the hit instead. Her uniform was a sleeveless top, elbow-length gloves, short shorts, and knee-length boots, all pale blue, darkening to the color of the bow on Mercury's uniform at the edges. There was a thick bracelet on each of her wrists, white with a sapphire inlaid in each. She had a symbol on her forehead that got amazingly bright right before she died, but I couldn't see what it was. Then Mercury killed Zoisite, crying, saying—" Here the Moon Princess cut herself off. Ami obviously remembered a bit of that fight, but not Zoisite's death, or what her relationship with him was. There was no reason to invite trouble and confusion.

"Saying _what_?" Ami demanded, icily. "What did I say, Princess?"

"You—you said he betrayed you, and you hoped he would remember his promise to you next time he tried to hurt your princess. If he had a next time. Then you cursed Metallia and Beryl for what they did, and you let yourself be killed when Metallia's power abandoned his body." Usagi hurried to get the words out, as though that would dampen the pain Ami would feel if she remembered him, and to alleviate her anger. Ami's face had a look of shock on it and eyes soon glazed over. So Usagi had no choice to continue to the next dream to get them all to stop staring at her. Well, Rei was staring at the floor, pretending to be deaf.

"The next dream was with Sailor Venus fighting Kunzite, looking mad as hell at him and using the Crystal Sword which was already covered in blood. Kunzite managed to get it out of her hands and she looked shocked as he raised his sword over his head to kill her. She was frozen, unable to really comprehend that he was attacking _her_.

"Again, someone got in the way. Her hair was the same style as Venus' and she wore the same uniform as Mercury's Guardian, only difference being that it was yellow—or would have been if it wasn't covered in blood. The jewels in the bracelets were topazes and I couldn't see her symbol either. But instead of simply taking a mortal hit, she got in the way, let it cut fairly deep into her shoulder, and blocked it with the Crystal Sword. She got Kunzite's sword out of her shoulder and deep into a charred tree, then kicked him into the tree itself. Once that happened, she gave Venus back the Sword and collapsed. Venus started screaming and crying, but when Kunzite stirred and got up, she demanded to know what he thought he was doing. His response was less than what Venus wanted so she cursed him and the Dark Kingdom before slamming all of her power into him. It killed him. Then she went back to fighting. But she was distracted, and so didn't see one of the archers until he was about to shoot. She couldn't get out of the way without stabbing herself on someone else's sword," Usagi recited mechanically, not seeing her friends, but instead the battle itself again. When she looked up, Minakoko looked pissed—though not as pissed as she had been facing Kunzite—and then her eyes glazed over, just as Ami's were.

"You can leave if you want, Rei-chan," the Moon Princess informed her Fire Soldier gently. Rei looked up and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks. I'll be outside with the guests. Call me when you're done with all of them?" Rei asked, getting up and heading for the door. All but Minako and Ami agreed to and then turned back to their princess, obviously waiting. Usagi didn't really want to continue, but she didn't have much choice; the Outers and her Prince wanted to hear this as much as Makoto did, which was much, much, _much_ more than Usagi did.

"Sailor Mars fought with Jadeite. Fire versus energy balls and simple weapons. It should have been a simple matter of who would win, but Mars refused to use her full power. I think she was still in shock that he was attacking _her_ of all people, like Venus had been. So they were fairly equally matched, and he was slowly gaining the upper hand. He managed to throw her against a rock and before she could get up, he shot a very large energy ball at her. Two crows showed up and turned human as the ball hit them. The leftover energy crackled around their still forms as Mars got up. She was pissed beyond belief. She lost control of her powers, and even before she attacked, she had flames streaming all around her. By the time all her power left her, Jadeite was nothing but ashes, if that. Then she knelt by the bodies of the two who had taken that attack for her and cried until some idiot noticed that she was there. It didn't go well for the idiot or his nearby companions. _Their_ companions were less than forgiving, and swarmed around the three. That's all I saw before I woke up."

Silence.

Then, "Rei-chan read that one, didn't she?" This came from Hotaru, who was staring at the wall separating the living room and the kitchen. "And then she remembered it and didn't want to hear it again."

"I can't blame her," Ami said softly, staring at her hands in her lap. "_I_ sure wish right now I didn't remember, especially at the end." Usagi went over to the other couch and hugged her friend.

"He was being controlled," Usagi reminded the Ice Maiden. "It wasn't him. Remember that." Ami put her head on her princess' shoulder and started crying. Usagi just held her until Minako snapped out of her little trance state of retrieving memories and took over.

"Are you sure you want to hear the one with you, Jupiter?" Usagi—or rather, _Serenity_—asked as she sat back down in her seat.

"Yes, my princess," Makoto affirmed. Apparently, she recognized who was doing the talking. "I want to know who fell for me. That way their death can be honored, rather than dishonored by not remembering. I know I'll be upset by whatever I remember afterwards, but I think it'll be worth it." Usagi didn't seem sure, but proceeded to tell the tale of the green-eyed warrior.

"Sailor Jupiter was fighting Nephrite. He was wearing some sort of gloves resistant to electricity, so he couldn't shock himself when he blocked her lightning balls with his sword. Of course, some still got past and he was covered in burn marks. Jupiter was gaining and losing power due to the raging thunder storm. The rain wasn't doing much to help their sight, and both were caked in blood. When a few strands of Jupiter's hair and the rain got in the way of her sight, Nephrite tried to skewer her. A cage of lightning deflected him.

"Another young woman, same size as Jupiter, stood behind it as Nephrite shouted for Lady Jupiter to let the cage down. She didn't understand until she saw the other woman standing there, slowly shrinking the cage, obviously intending to electrocute him. Jupiter stopped her, told her to return the lightning to where it came from, and stay out of the fight. The green-eyed woman did so reluctantly. The green and white voltage traveled to her palms to form two glowing balls, one traveling further to the emerald stone on the woman's bracelet. The other remained in her hand.

"She warned Jupiter that if he tried anything less than honorable, not even her vow would be enough to keep her from sending all the lightning she could handle deep into his back. Jupiter acknowledged this and reminded her to keep out. So the woman merely gave the two a fairly large dueling field, creating a wall of lightning all around, with easily enough space in the middle for the two to have their match.

"Nephrite immediately began to mock Jupiter, and she informed him that he was accused of treason by Earth's Golden Court, the White Moon's Court, and the Silver Millennium, and the Crown Princess of Mokusei. She asked if he denied it and informed him that either way he died at her hands. He said no and dared her to take her best shot. So she called on a storm and electrocuted him. The other woman took away her shield and all the excess lightning Jupiter carried, because the Sailor Senshi looked like she was going to use it on herself.

"The woman told Jupiter to see if she could get to me—Princess Serenity—faster than Sailor Uranus could have if she had been there with her Sword, and when Jupiter hesitated, the Crown Princess was informed that the woman could take care of herself, thank you very much, and Jupiter needed her protection, not the other way around. So they managed to get fairly close, but the woman was cut down getting Jupiter away from someone's battle axe. Then Jupiter lost it. She electrocuted everyone within an axe's length away with all her power, killing herself in the process. Only the other woman's body remained untouched." Usagi stared at her knees, fighting back tears. In these dreams she had seen each of the Inner Senshi die, her past self, Endymion, and some nameless warrior.

Finally, she looked up and saw that while Ami and Minako had recovered, Makoto's face was blank, her eyes glazed. Hotaru was still staring at the wall, Haruka and Mamoru seemed to thinking about something confusing, Setsuna staring at the two cats, who were looking very disturbed and chose that moment to leap into their respective owners' lap, and Michiru looked upset. Silence reigned while they all battled with fresh memories or memories half in the dark, refusing to come out and do more than tease their owners.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Meanwhile, Rei had gone out back to find Miranda looking at Hikari's sketches and the dark-haired girl staring out at nothing. Sitting beside them, she had a sudden feeling of deja vu. Heck, she could almost _see_ the two as different people, sitting and talking with her. Then a vision crashed into her head.

_The scene was Mars in a light summer dress and barefoot, lying on a small boulder with her eyes closed, obviously enjoying herself._

_"Crown Princess Mars, are you _sunbathing_?" a slightly mocking voice called. The vision turned to see another woman, long blonde hair streaming around her as she stepped over twigs and dead branches on the ground to reach the younger woman. Mars jerked up into a sitting position on the rock, a deep blush coloring her cheeks._

_"Well, both Serenitys said I shouldn't be needed today, so I went off on my own," Mars began in her own defense. But the blonde woman, maybe three or five years older, waved it away as she sat down next to the Fire Soldier._

_"No need to explain to me. Titan and I are doing the exact same thing." Then she turned away to call down the path, "What are you waiting for? The sun to hit us?"_

_"No, Miranda, I'm not," an annoyed voice called back. "The darling crow people won't stop using me as a roost. They only leave when I threaten to use them to channel, and then not long."_

_"Phobos, Deimos," Mars called. "Let her go." So then two crows flew into view and landed in front of Princess Mars, transforming almost immediately into dark-haired human girls, who knelt in front of the princess they were bound by oath to serve._

_Mars let out a sigh of disgust. "Both of you," she lectured. "When will you _stop_ doing that? You _know_ I hate that crap." The young women, both the same age as Mars, giggled and stood as another dark-haired girl came over the rise. Phobos and Deimos, in their gymnast-like uniforms and bare feet tackled the newcomer to the ground. Those watching giggled as the young woman on the bottom of the pile begged for help._

The memory vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Titan? Miranda?" Rei asked uncertainly. Two heads jerked up, faces wary, only relaxing slightly when they recognized the inquirer. Hikari seemed more in the real world than Miranda Kaze was, still having a slightly glazed look in her eyes as though her thoughts were thousands of miles away or thousands of years in the past. Hikari noticed this and stomped the back of her heel into the older woman's toes.

"YYYYEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Miranda screamed as she snapped back entirely to reality. "What was that for?" she demanded in the language of the Silver Millennium, whining.

"You were paying absolutely no attention to anything other than what is in your messed up mind," Miranda was informed in the same language. Rei smiled, understanding what was said.

"I think someone's coming," Hikari announced as Miranda nursed her foot, looking up at the sky where two crows were diving towards them.

"They yours?" Hikari asked Rei, turning to the miko. Rei nodded as Phobos and Deimos landed on her lap and introduced them. Hikari put her hand out toward them and promptly got her finger bit. Hikari jammed the abused finger in her mouth as purple fire surrounded the drops of blood, as though hoping to keep her power a secret as she glared at Deimos.

After allowing their princess to pet them for a good few minutes, Phobos and Deimos hopped off her lap and glided to the wooden floor. Just before landing, reddish fire encased them as Rei cried out in surprise and the fire grew and warped before fading to reveal two young women in gymnast uniforms kneeling in front of their princess. Rei groaned.

"Will you two _please_ get up? I may not have all my memories, but I know I don't like you doing that." So the two crow women stood up, turned to stare at Miranda and Hikari, and it was like a silent museum in which they were the statues.

Then the silence was broken by the twins tackling Hikari.

"Yyyaaahh!!! Get off!" Hikari shouted as she hit the porch floor. "Let me go, would ya?!" Laughing, the twins started to talk at Hikari, still refusing to let her up. After a quarter of an hour, their tale was done and they let her up.

As Hikari sat up, edging slightly away from the twins kneeling on the wood, Rei saw the intellect reflected in her eyes. The miko guessed that Hikari was already figuring some things out about her, especially since Hikari apparently loved to read Sailor Moon.

"It looks like you've got some questions for me," Hikari commented to Rei. "So what are they?"

"First off, how did you know I wanted to ask you some questions?" Hikari shrugged.

"Just something about the way you were acting, I guess. Finding things out about people is something I've always been good at."

"And walking in on things at inopportune moments," Miranda muttered under her breath.

"Well, if you two had locked the door, I wouldn't have been _able_ to walk in on you," Hikari responded in her own defense. "Besides, I was sleepwalking, remember? I didn't really see anything."

"Okay, back to my questions," Rei began, regaining their attention. "Do you know anyone who's a queen?" Hikari looked wary and there were no answers in her eyes.

"What'll you do if I say yes?" she asked.

"I'll ask more questions," the Fire Miko answered honestly. "After getting my friends, of course."

"And if I say no?"

"Then forget I ever said anything."

"Is there a reasoning to this?"

"Yes, actually there is." Rei was starting to get annoyed. The crow women and Miranda sat silently, waiting for the conversation to include them again.

"All right then, I do know a queen. Her name's Serenity and I read about her in a book."

Rei let out a scream of frustration.

"JUST ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!!"

"Princess Mars," Phobos put in. "I'm afraid you'll just have to accept this answer. Our darling destroyer doesn't answer a question straight out if she can help it. She enjoys playing with people's minds."

"All right then, why did you respond when I said 'Titan' earlier?" Rei attempted.

"I wasn't expecting another voice," Hikari evaded.

"Is it your name?" Rei pressed.

"It's something I answer to," Hikari admitted.

It was then they noticed Luna on the windowsill, sputtering and staring. They stared at the cat for a few moments before Miranda got up, scooped Luna up in her arms, and went inside. The others didn't respond; the crow twins were giving Hikari/Titan an evil look and Rei was mulling over the information she'd just received.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Um, guys?" Miranda called through the thick door as she rapped on it. "Luna is acting like she's gonna have a heart attack. You want her back?"

"YES!" Usagi shouted, getting up, racing over to the door, and opening it before anyone heard the end of the 'y' in yes. Miranda stepped inside, her eyes taking everyone in, even Artemis, as she placed the still-sputtering Luna into her mistress' arms.

"H—" Luna gasped. Usagi tried to get her cat to shut up, but Luna didn't seem to notice anything. "H—Hikari's Titan," Luna managed to choke out. Artemis' eyes grew huge at this and he also began to sputter. Miranda just watched the felines disinterestedly.

"Miranda," Haruka called, hoping her friend hadn't noticed the talking the cat had done, but knowing that she had. "Could you tell Rei that she can come back in now? We need her opinion on something."

"Sure thing, Ruka," Miranda responded with a shrug. Just before she vanished she stuck her head back in. "You all might want to remind the darling Luna _why_ she's not supposed to talk." Then she was gone.

"Titan's back?!" Artemis demanded of his mate once he could speak again. Luna nodded dumbly.

"Who's Titan?" Hotaru asked. The cats seemed shocked that she didn't know.

"Her power during the Silver Millennium possibly rivaled that of the Silver Crystal," Artemis explained carefully. "You were the one who could get her to bind her power so she wouldn't use more than was absolutely necessary in a fight."

"Was she the woman who took that hit for me?" Usagi asked.

"I don't know," Luna truthfully replied. "I wasn't there. From your description, I'd say yes though. But I don't understand why she's back after all these years. Why now? Why _at all_?" The others were not able to get anything more out of the black feline advisor, who brooded for the rest of the peace. All of five minutes.

Then came an explosion, rocking everyone. The Senshi and Prince raced out to the back to where the Fire Soldier and visitors awaited.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Rei and Hikari had been talking about Rei's life when the attack came. Just as the large oblong ships fired their energy balls at the house, a wall of deep purple fire shot up. It extended, as far as Rei could tell, all around the house, forming an effective dome. Hikari winced as the black energy balls hit the dome, exploding on impact.

"Ouch," she mumbled as they all covered their ears and waited for the Senshi to come rushing out. And so the Senshi did, except they were in civilian form and now had no chance to morph with 'normal civilians' there. So the Senshi could do nothing.

However, that did not mean that everyone was so defenseless.

Phobos and Deimos immediately reverted back to their crow form and launched themselves through the nearly-black fire at the enemy, much to Rei's dismay. She was pleasantly surprised when they emerged unscathed and kept going, fire encasing them and then shooting at the black ships just as holes appeared in their sides to shoot.

Every single flame hit dead on and each ship hit imploded. Phobos and Deimos continued on their path with each ship until they had made it almost all the way around the house. When they were back in sight again, Deimos got a wing hit and immediately a strand of purple fire flew out from the shield and wrapped around the injured crow as she passed out.

Towing her in, the magical thread would send up a shield each time an energy ball tried to take out Deimos. Phobos destroyed the final attacker and flew like a bullet for her twin sister and the Senshi. By the time she reached the shield, Deimos was lying on Hikari's lap and the shield was slowly gathering into the bright amethysts on the bracelets that had appeared so suddenly on the girl's wrists. There was also some symbol shining on her forehead, though no one could make it out.

To avoid hitting the house and breaking her neck, Phobos swerved and ended up flying around the house before slowing down enough to not harm herself upon landing. Once she landed, she changed back into her normal human form—red gymnast uniform with black six-pointed star upon her breast and super high heels—and knelt in front of Hikari who had her head bent over the crow on her lap. Purple fire encased both her hands and the crow.

"Is she going to be okay?" Phobos asked anxiously. Hikari jerked in surprise. When she saw Phobos, she calmed down a little.

"I'm not sure. She should be, but we have to wait until she wakes up to get any real results. But she shouldn't have any lasting problems," Hikari responded, her eyes back on her patient. Slowly, the fire gathered itself back into the shining bracelets which vanished once all the power was there.

"When will she wake up?" Phobos demanded, standing up again. Hikari shrugged and Phobos slapped her, hard. Hikari looked shocked for a moment, then her eyes turned into blocks of black ice.

"I know you don't like my answer, Phobos of Coronis. That does not give you license to hit me. Do it again and I can guarantee you won't like the result," Hikari warned, her tone as cold as her eyes, if that was possible. Usagi got the shivers just hearing it. Phobos locked eyes with the strange girl for a few tense moments, then dropped them to the ground.

"I apologize," she said softly. "I forgot my place. It won't happen again."

"What won't?" Miranda asked. "The slap? Besides, just because our darling princess of darkness is in charge when she's healing doesn't mean she's in charge _all_ the time. Except in those matters we all carry the same rank."

"Miranda," Hikari sighed, "she meant the slap. The place thing meant that she won't try to cross the line again. Which just means she won't slap me for not giving the right answer again. Deimos is waking up." Phobos' face lit up at that, and so no one noticed Hikari's expression as she rubbed the place where she'd been hit. All conversation was forgotten as Deimos opened her eyes.

Red fire surrounded the crow and Phobos moved the fiery crow to the floor, off of Hikari. When the fire died, Deimos in human form—blue gymnast uniform with boots—remained.

"Ow," the crow woman moaned, putting one hand to her right shoulder. "Why…?"

"You got yourself hit, baka," Phobos reminded her sister. "Do you have _any_ idea how much you scared me?!"

"I've got an idea," Deimos whispered. "But why does my shoulder still hurt?"

"I can't heal soreness," Hikari reminded them, sorrow in her eyes. Deimos, still woozy, glanced at Hotaru and knew the reason. Explaining to her sister through their mental bond, Deimos forced herself into a sitting position. Rei and Phobos quickly helped her.

"I'll be fine," she reassured them, giving Hikari an opportunity to slip away, who gladly took it.

Yami Hikari nor Titan of Dosei did that well in crowds, especially if the crowd was made up of mostly memoryless people who had been her friends at one point in time. Miranda felt the girl's departure, but said nothing: she, too, knew that Hikari wanted to be alone.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Taking a deep breath, ignoring the ache in her leg, she consciously brought her emotions back into the tightly controlled box she usually kept them in. Life was easier for her when her feelings consisted of nothing. Then she didn't have to worry about getting angry and losing her temper, or letting her heart lose her head in a fight. She had found out long ago that letting her heart rule her just created misery for all involved. If her heart was like ice, then she couldn't be hurt as badly. Of course, it meant she couldn't be as happy, but hey, you can't have the cake and eat it too.

But now, surrounded by her old friends, encasing her heart in ice was hard. Getting rid of her emotions was near impossible when talking to them.

The girl was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice when the Senshi showed up behind her. It took Luna digging her claws into the girl's leg through the jeans to bring her back. Luna was showing serious dislike, if not hate, for the teenager.

"Yes?" Hikari demanded though gritted teeth as she helped Luna let go by yanking very hard on the cat's tail. Luna screeched and Hikari barely whipped her hand out of the way in time as Luna leapt for it. Then Usagi picked her up, ensuring there would be no more fights.

"We have a question for you," Ami informed her.

"Is it going to be like your last one?" Hikari asked Rei, who had her crows standing behind her as humans.

"It's similar," the miko admitted. Miranda rolled her eyes from the back of the group.

" 'Similar' my ass," she muttered. "If she tells the truth, she'll ruin everything." Thankfully for her, only Phobos and Deimos heard.

"So what is it?"

"Actually, it's two questions," Michiru corrected.

"And they are…?"

"Were you a warrior during the Silver Millennium? If so, did you fight for Princess Serenity?" Minako asked (more like demanded). Hikari had no chance to reply as a strange man chose this moment to appear and shout something. The group only heard the last part, but it was more than enough.

"…ath to the White Moon Kingdom!!!!! I will destroy all remaining members and all they hold dear!" The Senshi couldn't transform out here in the open, what with this man and two guests watching.

Miranda started forward, but Phobos grabbed her arm before she could take more than a step and hissed into her ear, "You said Titan telling the truth would ruin things, well, so would you fighting. At least Titan lives with Senshi."

"And that's part of what's killing her," Miranda hissed back. "If she breaks down, she'll reveal all of us, not just herself!"

"She won't," Phobos assured the blonde. "Not until she knows Sa—_Hotaru_ remembers her. Then she'll reveal the whole truth about herself, and let us reveal ourselves in our own good time."

Thankfully, no one noticed this conversation, as their attention was fixed on the man's palm, where he was gathering black energy, almost a duplicate of what those ships had used for bullets. Hikari's eyes widened as she cursed under her breath, recognizing the energy's magical signature. If that thing managed to hit its target—which it would, unless something much larger than it intercepted it—then their lives and those of nearby neighbors would end instantly.

The ball left the man's hand at the speed and force of a rocket.

Hikari's arms went up, seemingly in an automatic reflex to protect her face.

Time seemed to slow down for the Senshi, though if asked, Pluto would swear that she did nothing. The ball came closer… closer… about to hit the house…

…And hit a wall of purple fire instead. The energy ricocheted off the magical protection and bounced straight back at its creator. 3, 2, 1, impact.

Then Time resumed to its normal flow. The man didn't even have time to scream as he was incinerated. It was at that time that the Senshi noticed that those bracelets had reappeared upon Hikari's wrists and it was from them that the shield had come and was now returning to. There also seemed to be some symbol shining on her forehead, though now one could be sure.

Once the shield had vanished entirely, Hikari lowered her crossed arms and stood, turning toward the Senshi.

The bracelets were still there, the amethyst on top visible on the right one, while the left hand was palm-out, allowing the Senshi to see the gently glowing, pale gold, crescent moon on the bracelet.

"That answer your question?" Hikari asked flatly, no emotion present in her eyes.


	4. Silence

**Silver Millennium to 2005 planet names:**  
Suisei: Mercury  
Kinsei: Venus  
Kasei: Mars  
Mokusei: Jupiter  
Dosei: Saturn  
Ten'ousei: Uranus  
Kaiousei: Neptune  
Meiousei: Pluto

**Disclaimer:** I own the Guardians. That's it. Titan of Dosei, Yami Hikari, Triton, Mizu Taylor, Miranda of Ten'ousei, Chiba Lily, Charon, and Kaze Miranda are Guardians. They're mine. I will hunt you down and skin you alive if you attempt to steal them, got it? Good. Phobos and Deimos… um, not entirely mine, exactly. Their names, nor their servitude to Mars is mine. Their personalities and Guardian forms are mine. Their crow forms and normal (red & blue suits) are not mine. All miscellaneous/nameless people are mine. So are the Yamis and everything about them. That includes Maison and Ani. Little prophecy (doesn't really play a big part) is also mine. Everything I have not claimed belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.

**Chapter Four**

**Silence**

Yami Hikari stared at the back of the group—more specifically, Miranda and the twins—waiting for a reply, or for the Senshi to at least unfreeze. When five boring minutes passed and nothing happened except sputtering, Hikari went out to the far edge of the driveway where the man had stood.

Kneeling to sift the ashes through her fingers, the dark-haired girl noticed a throwing star dead center of the ashes. Feeling the blood drain from her face, she picked it up, already knowing which symbols would be engraved into the tips.

The Yami characters for "Dosei's Guardian and White Moon Kingdom" were engraved into the sharp edges of the lethal star. Some part of her had known that they would come after her eventually, but seeing it in writing made it more real. Her mind quickly shoved away the thought of danger to herself and focused on the "White Moon Kingdom" part.

Someone—most likely a member of the Yami civilization—wanted her Princess and the Senshi out of commission, permanently. Titan had learned firsthand that when someone was taken out by a tracking throwing star, that if the magic was strong enough, the Star Seed or Sailor Crystal of the target would be utterly destroyed along with their body. They would never have a chance at being reborn, even if someone with as much power as Queen Serenity used their life force to give them another life. There would be nothing to bring back, for it would have all been shredded by the magicked throwing star.

It wasn't so much the fact that the man had gone after all of them, but more that they knew the names of the old planets and knew of the White Moon Kingdom. That had died over 1,000 years ago. There was no reason for them to know the old things.

So how did they? Yes, some of Metallia's minions had made it to the home planet of the Yamis, Maison, during the Silver Millennium. The minions had convinced a small portion of the population to join their Dark Queen, and had successfully wiped out the resisters who knew them by name. That meant that only those who fought for the Dark Kingdom could have known how to create the spell that man had used, the ships that had attacked them, or the tracking throwing stars. But they all died in the fighting. Which left no one to create the ships, stars, or spells.

"Princess Serenity," Hikari called over her shoulder. "Did your mother just send you and your Scouts to be reborn, or was it everyone on the Moon?"

"Closer to everyone," Usagi said softly, still in shock. "Mother gave everyone who fought against us another chance, if they were being controlled. She also sent me, my Court, and some people close to us here."

Hikari started and the star dropped from her hand. _Almost everyone?_ she thought._ That means Ani might…_ Then she forced herself to end the thought. _No,_ she told herself. _I'm not going to think about him._ Her inner self laughed at her.

_Liar,_ it taunted. _You're a pathetic liar_._ You can't stop thinking about him now._

_Shut up,_ she snapped at it, knowing it was right, and consciously forcing her mind to focus on the problem at hand, and stay off the black-haired man she had fallen in love with.

Judging by the markings, there were probably many more of these out. The markings were of the Yami civilization, rather than a specific person. Anyone who had true power would be after them. Hopefully, that wouldn't be many people.

Maybe a month before the fall of the Silver Millennium, Titan had received word that everyone on Maison was dead of a fatal plague. The symptoms had not occurred while Titan was there, so she was safe. The only Yamis not on their home planet were those loyal only to Metallia, who were all on Earth or ambassadors on the Moon.

That meant that only those loyal to Metallia had a chance at being reborn. Facts: a small portion of the Yami society was now on Earth, and knew who they had been, in terms of skill and magic. But that didn't really make sense. How could they have their memories back? The Dark Kingdom was four years defeated, so what could have awakened their dormant selves?

Then she realized the error of her thinking and had to laugh.

_Baka_, she thought. _You of all people should know how stubborn they are. If they liked their new lives, it would take easily these past four years to awaken them enough to remember the end and be on the deceased Dark Kingdom's side_. If only those who had fought on the Moon had been reborn, then there were very, _very_ few who had been reborn.

Among their culture, the Yamis, warriors to the last, did not take change of loyalty lightly. Turn traitor and you were branded for life, not that you would live long as it was. Traitors were punished with disgraceful death, so most didn't change sides often. If they were attached to their life and still had that loyalty to it, which was deeply ingrained into their very being, Beryl would've had to come to power and Metallia be fighting the Princess at full strength to get them to change sides.

What brought them here, in this place, at this time? _They were here which was why I used my power,_ Titan remembered._ I didn't use my magic beforehand, at least, not today. So I didn't bring them here. Was it simply so many of such power together in such a weakly guarded place? Please, God, let that be it._

Infusing the throwing star with so much of her power that it turned to ash, Titan/Hikari stood up and returned to the porch. The wind picked up and the ashes were scattered to the four corners of the earth, which was only for the best.

"What in the name of Selene are you doing here,Titan?!" Luna demanded the moment Titan was safely on the porch.

"Just doing my job," Titan replied. "Some part of the Crystal apparently decided to keep me from returning to my element"—she shrugged—"so here I am."

"You. Are. Supposed. To. Be. Dead." Artemis' voice was unnaturally calm and cold.

"Yes. But I'm not. Basically, when I need to, my power can be used now, because I'm no longer stuck in a crystal coffin. When the bracelets disappear, this body will collapse, and chances are, the personality in control will not remember anything as real. Maybe she'll think it was a dream, but she shouldn't believe everything that just happened actually did. Okay?" Titan asked, looking as her princess rather than the cat she had been speaking to. Usagi blinked and nodded.

"Hikari won't remember this?" the Moon Princess repeated. Titan nodded, not quite meeting her eyes. No one but the crows and Miranda, who was watching with great interest, noticed.

"How often are you going to come out and use your magic?" Usagi asked.

"As often as I must," Titan replied. "But I won't do anything stupid. My time's just about up for now." Then she turned to the sisters and Miranda. "Please keep your mouths shut for once," she asked (more like ordered) in the language of the Silver Millennium. Then the shining bracelets and forehead symbol vanished and Hikari crumbled. Haruka caught her just before she cracked her head on the ground.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Little less than an hour later, the Senshi had just finished explaining themselves to a befuddled—and now amused—Miranda. Hikari was still unconscious, back in her bed upstairs.

"Okay," Miranda said for about the hundredth time. "Let me be sure I've got this straight. Mamoru-san is Tuxedo Kamen, and was Prince Endymion during a time called the Silver Millennium. Muffin Head is Sailor Moon, and was Princess Serenity during the Silver Millennium. Ami-san is Sailor Mercury, and was back then too. Rei-san is and was Sailor Mars. Phobos and Deimos are her protectors from the Silver Millennium. Minako-san is and was Sailor Venus, until recently Sailor V. Makoto-san is and was Sailor Jupiter. Hotaru-chan is and was Sailor Saturn, and can destroy entire worlds. Michi-san is and was Sailor Neptune. Setsuna-san is and was Sailor Pluto, guardian of Time. And Ruka here is Sailor Uranus. Well, that explains her speed." Miranda ended with a grin. "How the heck did I not realize it before?" She was lying—she had known the truth for a long time—but only Haruka knew her well enough to notice the lie, and she was currently distracted.

"Yes," Michiru confirmed. "You most likely didn't realize because you are not a Sailor Senshi. And _why_ did you call me Michi?"

"Ruka calls you that," Miranda replied. "And I think it's a cute nickname." Michiru blushed and had nothing to say to that. Haruka glared at her 'friend,' who merely smiled sweetly back at her.

"How do you know that I guard Time?" Setsuna asked.

The pony-tailed blond shrugged. "You don't spend years in Hikari's company without learning some things about the Scout Team. By the way, are you going to tell her?" The Senshi looked at each other in discomfort.

"Actually," Haruka replied. "We didn't really think we would." Miranda opened her mouth to protest that. "Yes, she does live here," the Wind Senshi continued. "Yes, she is in danger from this enemy simply be being here, but as she has some personality from the Silver Millennium inside her, telling her might not be the best idea. She already has one thing to try and deal with; we don't need to add to it. Besides, her knowing might put her in more danger, and one of our objectives is to keep her safe."

"Along with your families, I take it," Miranda added. "But since you, Odango-atama, _will_ become Queen in a few years and the construction for Crystal Tokyo should be beginning in the next year or so, shouldn't you _tell_ your families? That way it won't be a complete shock to them? Besides, they probably will start keeping a watch on you if you keep slipping out in the middle of the night to fight this new enemy."

Seeing the shock on everyone's faces, she grinned and explained further. "Kari has all the Sailor Moon manga, but not the Sailor V ones. She probably knows everything there is to know about you guys. Besides, half the attacks were made at night, weren't they?"

"Again, _how_ do you know?" Setsuna repeated.

"Again, Kari," Miranda responded. Then she looked around. "Where did the the crows go?" The whole Scout Team looked around. Phobos and Deimos were indeed gone.

"Um, I guess they went home," Rei replied uncertainly. Usually the crows stayed with her when things happened. Apparently, today was an exception.

"Is there anything else you have questions about?" Hotaru asked softly. She had not said much, busy trying to figure out what Saturn had been attempting to tell her since laying eyes on Miranda.

Miranda turned toward Hotaru and blinked. Then stared. Then blinked again, before catching herself.

"Actually, there's supposed to be some sort of marathon in the city next week. Anyone can sign up, and they all get numbers, and race. I wanted to know if Makoto or Haruka were interested."

"Would it be all right if we get back to you on that?" Makoto asked. "No offense, but we've got a bit of a problem on our hands right now." Miranda nodded.

"Would it be okay if I checked on Hikari before I left?" she asked. "I want to make sure she's okay." The Senshi nodded their consent and Miranda left.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Miranda silently entered the teenagers' room and sat on the desk chair, waiting for her friend and ally to open her eyes.

Slight movement in the corner of the dark room caught her eye.

"Dei? Pho?" she called softly, hoping it was the twins and knowing she couldn't deal with another Yami bent on death just then.

"It's us," Deimos responded just as softly, not wanting to startle anyone as she and her sister landed cat-like on the carpet. Miranda assumed they had been in crow form until she saw the uniforms. The Guardians of Sailor Mars were back.

Identical flame-red uniforms, sleeveless tops with short shorts, knee-length boots and elbow-length gloves like the rest of the Guardians, the twins held out their hands to Miranda, thick bracelets glowing gently, adding a bit of light to the dark room. On the left underside were golden crescent moons, identical to the ones the other Guardians had on their left bracelets. On the underside of the right ones, there was the symbol of Mars pulsating in red. Their foreheads also held gleaming symbols, golden crescent moons behind the astronomical symbol of the fire planet.

Miranda gripped their hands tightly in their own and for a moment, a similar uniform was Miranda's outfit. It was gold and navy, with the symbol of Uranus behind a crescent moon upon her forehead. Her right bracelet held the mark of the Wind Senshi, while her left held the mark of the Moon, just like the others. It was the uniform of the woman she had been looking at in Hikari's sketchbook.

"Thanks for being here, guys," she said, still whispering, as her uniform returned to her normal slacks and long sleeve shirt and the forehead mark faded.

"Any clue why she passed out?" Deimos asked, kneeling next to Hikari's bed, inches from her face.

"Ow…" They saw Hikari's mouth form the words, and she grimaced, but otherwise didn't move.

"Titan?" Phobos whispered urgently. "Are you all right?"

A voice in their heads answered them.

_What the heck do you think?!_ Titan's voice moaned in their minds._ I used more energy than I have in a long time, and now I feel like shit that's been ground into dust._

"Can you talk out loud?" Deimos asked, not at all surprised about her friend talking in her head.

"If you don't touch me," Titan whispered.

"Okay, so no hugs," Miranda replied. "Why'd you pass out like that?"

"I used up more power than my body can deal with right now."

"You mean the shield?" Phobos asked.

"I would have been fine if the baka hadn't used that big-ass spell," Titan countered. "That spell was designed so it could blow up half the city, if put in the right place."

"Ow," Miranda winced.

"Yes, ow," Titan responded, forcing her eyes to open and her head to move so she could look at her friends. "Have you ever been dropped into a forest fire that hurt you?" Her friends were confused by this apparent change in subject.

"No," all three chorused in unison.

"Well, I'm starting to wonder if I'm not in one," Titan rasped. The others became concerned.

"Your body doesn't usually react like this, though," Phobos protested, clearly puzzled. "Why this time?"

"It started after Saturn awoke," Titan ground out, tears of either emotional or physical pain spilling out of her eyes. "Don't know why, but I think my connection to her used to help with aftereffects when I went past my body's limits and they just rebound off it now and hit me tenfold."

"Why?" Deimos asked.

"I just said I didn't know," Titan rasped. "But it's common enough that I don't scream anymore." The others weren't quite sure how to take that. It sounded like the dark-haired girl was asking for pity, but they knew that was not the case: Titan did not like or accept pity. She could give it, but couldn't stand it directed at herself. Comfort and support, yes. Pity, no.

Awkward silence reigned for a few moments before Miranda got up.

"Well, I need to be going. Taylor's gonna kill me as it is. I walked over here and I can't get home before dark." The blonde stood and started for the door, stopped by a trembling hand grabbing the hem of her sports jacket.

"Wait," Titan said, her hand slipping free of the jacket. Miranda turned back in confusion.

"Did I forget something?" she asked.

"Don't leave," Titan begged. Her visitors went into shock. Titan had never tried to keep them from leaving her before. But then again, she had never been in such bad emotional and mental shape.

"Are you _scared_?" Miranda asked incredulously. All Titan's behavior at her leaving seemed to indicate someone scared to be left alone, but still… This was Titan! A girl who had kicked people out of her room for snoring too loudly, or for interrupting her catnaps. Once you were kicked out, it was physically impossible to get back in without permission.

"Titan?" Miranda repeated. "What's wrong?"

"Don't leave me," Titan pleaded again, one arm hanging over the side of the bed, looking the picture of a scared invalid. Miranda sighed inwardly. Yes, her lover would make her life less delightful for the next few nights, but Titan was important too. Taylor would have to understand.

"Sure," she responded, sitting back down in the chair. "But I'll have to leave before that meeting downstairs ends. They're expecting me to be gone already." Titan relaxed, eyes drifting shut. They all watched, waiting to see if the dark-haired girl needed something beyond their mere presence.

"Who's Taylor?" the crows asked in unison after a few minutes of silence, keeping their voices down since Titan seemed to be merely in a light doze.

"Taylor's Triton," Miranda explained. The other two accepted that, then reverted to crows and lay on each side of Titan's head, running their beaks through her hair. Miranda watched with a grin as Titan fell into a peaceful and deep sleep with two crows messing with her hair. Then she placed Titan's arm back on the bed at her side, as it had been brushing the floor.

Titan mumbled something in her sleep and sighed, rolling onto her side and into the beginnings of a fetal ball. The crows squawked their worry, but continued to run their beaks through her hair, as it somehow comforted the smallest warrior.

A few hours later, Miranda was finally getting up to really leave when someone opened the door.

"What are you still doing here?" Haruka asked. "We ordered pizza a while ago. If we'd known you were still here, I would have tried to get Muffin Head from finishing it off."

Miranda smiled sadly. Haruka acted so much like Uranus sometimes it was hard to believe that she wasn't still that person, didn't have those memories.

"Just watching Kari-chan," she responded softly, looking back at the girl with the crows still beside her, now as deep into slumber as the one they were watching over. "She's really cute when she's sleeping, you know. And it was funny to see the crows guarding her like over-protective mothers." The aforementioned crows squawked loudly in offense and indignation. "Well, I better get going. Taylor's going to make my life horrible as it is, so I'll be leaving now."

Haruka leaned against the doorframe, blocking the exit.

"What aren't you telling me?" the Wind Senshi demanded. Miranda groaned. Two things she did _not_ miss about Uranus that Haruka had definitely received in the rebirth were the knowledge of when secrets were being kept and the stubbornness to get them out.

"I feel like I have to watch over her," Miranda admitted. "She's done so much looking out for the rest of us and taking care of us when anything happened, and I feel like I need to try and repay that, even if there's nothing I can really do." Then she looked at the person who she had once dared to steal a family heirloom. "Did that make any sense to you?"

Haruka's response was a slow smile. "The most sense I've ever heard out of your mouth in years. Ever since that junk in eighth grade about having known me before Tenou Haruka was born." Hurt flashed across Miranda's features for an instant. She remembered when she said had that: it had been less than a week after Haruka had been awakened as Sailor Uranus.

"Anything else?" Miranda wanted to know, her voice slightly sharp as she fought to bury her pain.

"How'd I hurt you?" Haruka asked, leaving the doorframe and putting her hand on the shoulder of one of her oldest friends. "What'd I say?"

"That bit about what I said back then, right after you—" Miranda cut her slightly-quivering voice off. Really, she was all but begging for trouble.

"After I _what_?" Haruka demanded, her eyes sharp and tone icy. Miranda was hiding something important and vital and she needed to know what it was. Miranda drew in a deep breath, looked up at the dark ceiling dotted with dark lamps, exhaled, and still staring at the ceiling, answered.

"Right after you found out who you used to be." Her voice was steady and cool. Knowing that Haruka wanted clarification, she added, "You found out you were Princess of Ten'ousei, Sailor Uranus." Haruka stared in shock, then began to babble as her hand dropped off her friend's shoulder.

"Y- you, you, you _know_?!" Miranda nodded, unable to talk, laughing at the look on her charge's face.

"I've known since the moment you touched that pen," she explained seriously once she could speak. "That's why I said what I did. I was naive enough to assume you would automatically know who I was once you touched the pen. I was wrong, and so I haven't brought it up since. You brought it up this time, and you _still_ don't remember. It's not fair," she muttered under her breath. "Six years and still nada. Maybe Titan's right and there's no hope until the new Silver Millennium." Thankfully, Haruka missed that part.

"Who are you and what's your purpose?" the leader of the Outer Senshi wanted to know.

"You've known my name for… over ten years and my purpose is your safety, Uranus," Miranda replied, authority of a leader in her voice as it was the other woman's. As Haruka stared, trying to figure out the hidden message—and whatever Uranus was screaming at her vessel that she couldn't quite make out—Miranda walked out of the room and house, started up her motorcycle, and tore towards an apartment near Crossroads High.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Triton of Meiousei in her civilian form of Mizu Taylor was pacing in her apartment, aqua hair swinging around her shoulders. Occasionally she peered out the window though the thin, white curtains.

"Where _is_ she?" she muttered to herself, playing the fabric with her long and thick skirt. "She should've been back hours ago." Taylor knew that if anything serious had happened to her lover, she would know instantly through their mental bond. She had yet to hear anything, so Miranda had better have an excellent explanation as to why she was out in the darkness on her motorcycle.

Just then she heard a key turn in the lock.

"Miranda?" she called anxiously, going out into the foyer. The door opened and her angel appeared, helmet in hand. Taylor rushed forward and grasped her lover in a tight hug. Once they broke apart, Taylor noticed the expression on the other woman's face.

"What's wrong?" the aqua-haired woman asked anxiously. "What's happened now? Is it—?" Miranda's finger on her lips stopped the flood of questions.

"I was at Ruka's house," Miranda began, but Taylor broke in.

"Is _that_ your excuse for staying out so late?" she demanded. "I don't want you to get in another accident like that one you were in last year when you were out at night."

"No, that's not my excuse," Miranda continued patiently, hanging up her jacket and putting her helmet away. "Titan lives there now." Taylor froze in shock. All the Guardians were in the same city now! "That was my first reaction, too," Miranda admitted, catching the look. "But she needs us. She's in such horrible shape. She was crying when I found her. She never cries, you know that?" Taylor nodded, then interrupted.

"She was crying the other night, too. I told you that. What else happened?"

"Our princess is starting to remember."

"NANI?!" Miranda winced. _Please_, she prayed,_ don't let the neighbors hear her._

"She remembers Titan and something she did at the end, at any rate," Miranda corrected, smashing Taylor's ideas before they could lift off. "She knows of the Inners Guardians' existence, except maybe Lily, and I doubt she knows us. They had a big Sailor Senshi meeting with the Prince today. I asked the winds to let me in on it, so I heard most of it."

"This isn't what you're worried about, is it?" Taylor guessed. "You're worried about Titan, even though she's as independent as can be."

Miranda nodded.

"She's not as independent anymore. I don't think she's got a constant, or anyone she can confide in, like she used to do with Saturn. You know that one of them was the only thing keeping the other alive after all their family went through. Titan was always able to tell her sister everything, no matter where she was or what was going on. She felt Saturn die, and we know she snapped then. I mean, yeah, she healed a bit over the years, but I think it just _really_ sank in that she wouldn't have her support system anymore when her adopted parents died and she ended up in that house. Everything just sort of… crumbled. She's now with Hotaru almost 24/7, _sharing a room_, and going to school with her, and probably in the same classes, but Hotaru obviously remembers nothing. It's gonna kill Titan eventually, you know." Taylor sighed and led her distracted partner into their bedroom, sitting her down on the bed for a talk.

"Is there anything we could do about it?" she asked, her tone hard. Miranda thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"No, we don't have any rights or anything, and Hotaru is apparently Hikari's—Titan's—legal cousin, and her family has custody of our friend."

"So accept that. There's nothing we can do when it comes to where they live, but it'll help her to know her friends exist and still care about her. You all but said she's shattered, so having us there for her will help her cope. How was she when you left?"

"Sleeping, curled up in a fetal ball. She's really been broken if she's back to doing that, you know. I left with Phobos and Deimos on either side of her and Haruka in the room. She didn't want me to leave when I tried earlier. I told her I would have to before the Senshi meeting ended, but I couldn't quite make myself do it. I knew you were waiting for me, but…" Taylor smiled and put her arms around the blonde.

"I know. I'm important, but sometimes our friends come first." Miranda nodded, thankful her lover understood.

"We better get to bed," the Wind Guardian commented. "We've got stuff to do tomorrow, and—" The chiming of the clock cut her off. It was now midnight. Taylor groaned.

"Now I really wish you'd come home early. I wanted to have some fun," she pouted. "Now it's late and we can't. We have to focus tomorrow and try to identify that new threat." Miranda was a bit surprised. She'd never mentioned the strange enemy.

Taylor noticed the look and smiled mischievously. "I have my ways of finding things out," she informed her partner. "Let's get some rest while we can." So the two went to bed, putting depressing thoughts out of their heads until morning.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Chiba Lily was one of the few in her apartment building still awake when the clocks informed the city it was four AM. The dark-haired teen was walking around her apartment, trying to work off her restless energy.

"Why can't I sleep?" she muttered for the hundredth time, fiddling with the end of her short braid. "The last time I felt like this…" Her eyes widened as her sentence trailed off. "Please, God, don't let it be so," she prayed before transporting herself to Elysion.

"Helios," she called, knowing without looking down that her nightgown had transformed into her Guardian clothes. Pale, pale green was the color, with diamonds on the upper side of the thick, white bracelets, and the astronomical symbol of Earth sitting in a golden crescent moon upon her forehead. Her uniform was otherwise the same as the other Guardians'. Running her hand over the Earth symbol engraved upon her right bracelet, Lily entered the shrine.

"Helios," she called again. "It's me. Where are you?" As though in response, two Meinads appeared to her right.

"Princess," the women intoned, kneeling before her.

"Get up," Lily snapped impatiently. "I need to know where Helios is, and I don't wish to be treated like some sort of breakable china."

"As your highness wishes," they intoned, getting to their feet. "Helios should be in the center room, where you once slept."

Lily felt her blood chill. Helios had no reason to be there, unless he had felt what she had, and was trying to use the leftover emanations of her power to try and sense what it was. Even that was stretching it.

"Priest of my land," she called as she entered the center room and hugged the kneeling priest. The surprised Helios turned in her arms, and upon recognizing her, hugged her tightly.

"I've missed you," he whispered as they broke apart. "I was trying to remember what you looked like." Lily made a face at him.

"Well, you obviously remember, or you wouldn't have hugged me like that," she retorted, pulling him to his feet. "Let's go somewhere else. You know why you aren't supposed to be in here."

Helios sighed.

"Yes, mother," he mocked. "I'm not supposed to be in the center room because the powers of the Silver Crystal and the Golden Crystal have mixed here."

"Actually," Lily corrected. "They haven't technically mixed. I can't use the Golden Crystal unless my brother dies and appoints me its guardian. I'm female, remember?"

"You never used to let me forget it," the man laughed as they entered the garden. "You've used it as blackmail to get into the shrine and look around so many times I've lost count. When I'd try to kick you out, you'd say that men weren't allowed in because they couldn't be respectful. You'd be as respectful as could be as you informed me that you were staying unless I explained the meaning of something. I eventually gave up."

"Otherwise you'd be kicking me out right now," the Princess of Earth reminded him.

"Let's just say that I've gotten used to your company," Helios said, patting her hand on his shoulder. "What is it you came here for?" Lily was silent for a good few moments.

"Endy was reborn as Mamoru and is Mamoru now, right?" Helios nodded, unsure as to what this meant. Lily continued, "But he lost his memory in that car crash, right?" Again, a nod. "He doesn't remember me at all, in either lifetime, but he knows he was the Crown Prince and can fight as Tuxedo Kamen now."

"Is there a purpose to this?" Helios asked cautiously. It wasn't always the best idea to upset the Earth Princess. She had a temper to rival that of Princess Mars.

"Yes, actually. Does Endy—well, I guess I should call him Mamoru now—know how to command the Golden Crystal?"

"No," Helios assured her. "He knows how to give his power to Sailor Moon, and how to bolster his attacks, but that's it. He doesn't remember his lessons in how to use it like the Moon Princess can."

"Who's Sailor Moon?" Lily asked curiously. "She didn't exist during the Silver Millennium. The only one I can imagine Endymion giving his power to, besides me, is Princess Serenity. Is Endy _cheating_ on the Moon Princess?" She didn't like that idea, and was not pleased when Helios broke out laughing.

"No, your brother is not cheating on the Princess. I don't believe the thought has ever crossed his mind. Sailor Moon _is_ the Moon Princess," he explained, white robes flapping in the wind.

Lily stopped and started sputtering, incomprehensible sounds spilling from her lips as Helios gazed interestedly at her a few steps ahead.

"He… She… Princess… Senshi… _How_?" Helios laughed when he heard his princess' words.

"Queen Serenity sent the Prince, Princess, and her Senshi to the late 20th century, remember? That's why you're still around. Luna didn't remember that Usagi was the Princess, so she was chosen to be Sailor Moon. I'd be willing to bet just about anything that Queen Serenity… adjusted Luna's memories slightly."

Lily stood still, absorbing the new information.

"So the Moon Princess is Sailor Moon, now Eternal Sailor Moon, who we've only heard legends about. There's always been legends and prophecies that one day one of Moon blood would become a Sailor Senshi, but they never made sense to me. They've come true now, haven't they?"

"To a degree," Helios admitted. "She has yet to become Queen, so the legend is not completely finished. She is of royal Moon descent, is a Sailor Soldier, but has yet to resume her throne. Once she does, the prophecy will be complete and her power will end up being passed down to her daughter when the time comes." Lily was instantly suspicious.

"How do you know she has—or will have—a daughter?" Helios became red and began to stammer out a reply.

"_Please_ don't tell me Charon or Pluto let the kid come back to the past," Lily begged. "I don't think I can deal with another like Serenity."

"You don't have to," she was informed once Helios caught his breath and the blush began to fade. "She's gone back to the future and I doubt she will return any time soon." Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good. I don't know how the others dealt with Serenity when she was a little kid; I had enough problems when she was in her teens. I don't think I can deal with that again."

"Well, it won't be happening again for a long time," Helios assured her as he led Lily back to the shrine and a private sitting room.

Lily discovered that he had not felt the strange restlessness or nervousness that she had, so Lily assumed that this new enemy—for only an enemy after the ones she cared for would create this feeling inside her—was not after Earth or Elysion, but perhaps the Guardians, and almost definitely the Moon Princess and Earth Prince. Lily vowed to see if the other Guardians had felt anything and to ask them to keep a close eye on the two royals. Lily vowed to see if the other Guardians had felt anything and to ask them to keep a close eye on the two royals.

Once she returned to her empty apartment and her civilian form, she attempted to reach her allies through their mental bond, but discovered they were all in deep sleeps. With a groan she went back to her own bed and sleep.

Just before falling asleep she wondered what the next day would bring.


	5. Guardians and Secrets

**Disclaimer:** If I owned SM, you would see the Guardians in the manga. Do you? No? Then I don't own SM. I own only the Guardians, the Yami (the civilization, Ani, and the people with that last name), and anything not in the manga. (Psst… Taylor, Hikari, Lily, Charon, and Miranda are Guardians. They're mine.)

**Chapter Five**  
**Guardians and Secrets**

The next morning Yami Hikari awoke with the largest migraine known to man.

Silently, she praised God that the shades were thick, dark, and _closed_. Of course, it wasn't yet dawn, but even the light of the waning moon was potentially painful.

After the pain receded enough for her to open her eyes, she slipped out of bed and out the door. Vaguely remembering seeing a balcony near her room, she searched for it. Upon finding it, she went out onto it, bare feet slapping the iced-over pavement.

_Damn, it's cold out here!_ she thought as a cruel December wind slashed at her unprotected form. Jeans and a long-sleeved shirt do not make good clothes to wear outside in the middle of winter.

With a sigh, she leaned against the waist-high railing, not noticing how the cold sunk through her sleeves into her very bones. She was already falling deep into her magic, deeper than she'd gone in a long time, since before… the Fall.

Searching for signs of Yami civilization or magic, she didn't notice the sun beginning to creep over the horizon or Setsuna come out and watch her through the glass door. After a good amount of time, she came back into herself and realized just how stiff she was. Her legs gave out beneath her and she hung onto the bar to keep from collapsing in a heap.

Once she could stand again, she turned to see the Guardian of Time regarding her with the strangest expression on her face. There was surprise, shock, wonder, and… was that _fear_ of all things?

With a groan, Hikari admitted to herself that she had known that she couldn't stay hidden from the Senshi forever, but now, with dawn just beginning, was not the time, nor was an iced-over balcony the place, for a confrontation like this.

"What in the name of Selene is going on here?" Setsuna demanded, coming out to the balcony to stand in front of Hikari. Her new housemate focused on returning feeling to her hands and feet. It was more important than keeping Setsuna happy, she reasoned.

"You know part of me is Titan," Hikari explained once Setsuna seemed near to bursting. "Well, she needed to check something and I let her. It's really important, apparently. I don't know really what she was doing. I only found out about her this morning." Hikari could be very good at playing the idiot and lying when she needed to. She _was_ Titan, so she knew perfectly well what Titan had been doing, thank you very much.

"Something wrong?" she asked, cocking her head sideways. Setsuna's eyes were huge, the pupils shrunk to pinpoints, and her face had lost all color. Titan _knew_ she knew that look, but not until Setsuna blinked and staggered did she recall it.

Catching the Time Guardian before the likely cracking of skull on ice, Titan half-led, half-dragged the the moss-haired woman inside.

The green-haired woman realized what was going on after a few minutes and managed to support her own weight long enough to get to the kitchen and collapse heavily into a chair. Once there she put her head in her arms and rested them on the table.

She didn't notice anything else but her pounding head and the images flowing past her eyes over and over again—like a broken record—until there was a hand on her arm and a voice in her ear.

"Pluto, drink this. It'll help with the headache," the soft voice said gently. "You can't ask me questions until you get rid of it, you know," the voice teased. There was a strong undertone of command in that voice, so Setsuna forced herself to raise her head.

A steaming cup was sitting in front of her face.

Strange dread filled her.

"Do I have to drink it?" she mumbled like a whiny child, having the strongest feeling of deja vu.

"Not unless you enjoy having your head split open with a hatchet from the inside," the voice countered. So Setsuna sighed and drank the steaming tea, making a bitter face as she swallowed. It was _disgusting_!

"Do you have any idea how bad that thing tasted?" she demanded.

"Do you still have the headache?" the voice retorted instantly. Setsuna mentally checked herself. No, the headache had vanished, though the price to pay was drinking a gross tea and having an aftertaste just as even worse.

"Yuck," Setsuna muttered.

"So rinse your mouth out," the voice reprimanded. "Geez, for someone who's an ancient guardian of Time, you're sure acting like a kid." Setsuna turned to see Hikari standing over at the sink, refilling the tea kettle. It took that much time for her to realize it was Hikari's voice that had been talking to her, only it had sounded older. A name suddenly slipped off her tongue.

"Titan?" she asked cautiously.

The dark-haired girl almost dropped the kettle.

"What did you see?" Hikari—excuse me, _Titan_—asked quietly, not looking at Setsuna. "I know it involved me, and I'd like to know before you tell the others. It was my life you saw, after all."

"There were… ten girls. The oldest four looked about eighteen or so. There were twins, possibly Phobos and Deimos, maybe two years younger. Three more were about thirteen, and the youngest was about ten. All ten of them were kneeling before Queen Serenity on her throne and all the girls wore the same outfit, but for the uniform colors and gemstones. The colors were ice-blue deepening to dark with sapphires in the bracelets on the blue-haired teen, yellow with topazes in the bracelets for the blonde with the red ribbon, very pale green was the uniform color with diamonds were inlaid in the bracelets of the youngest, blood-red uniform with rubies on the bracelets for the black-haired twins, forest-green with pink sparks and emeralds in the bracelets for the green-eyed brunette, deep purple with amethysts for the one who could be a clone of Saturn, gold with navy seams and embroidery and amber as the gemstones in the bracelets for the ponytail blonde, aqua as the color and aquamarine as the gemstones for the turquoise-haired beauty, and black with maroon blended in as the uniform colors and garnet for the gemstones on the young woman with moss-colored hair.

"Queen Serenity was saying something, I couldn't hear what. All the young women were in front of her on one knee with left hand over their hearts. Then the Moon Rod appeared in her hand and she waved it over the girls. Huge bursts of rainbow-colored light filled the room form the girls' foreheads. I guess it was some sort of ceremony. I can't say I remember ever seeing it before."

Titan clenched her shaking hands. She hadn't thought about that ceremony in _years_! The ceremony Setsuna was receiving an image of through her ESP was the ceremony where the ten of them had officially become the Guardians of the Sailor Senshi. A knighting ceremony of sorts, if you will.

Their powers had been completely released and they had truly become the Guardians with the one wave of that wand. They were now charged with guarding the Senshi of their home planet—or, in Lily's case, Crown Prince—and Princess Serenity, though the Senshi came first. To symbolize this, their powers seared the symbols of the Moon and their home planets into their wrists. Oh, it hurt all right, but it was more than worth it to protect their loved ones.

Forcing her mind out of her memories and back to the present, Titan saw that Setsuna was still cradling her head in her hands.

"You okay, Pluto?" she asked gently, before mentally kicking herself. _She's Setsuna right now, even if Pluto is awake and talking, and she thinks I've got another personality called Hikari too. Call her _Setsuna.

Setsuna blinked several times, trying with minor success to get rid of the images imprinted upon the back of her eyelids.

"I- I'm okay," the Time Guardian said. Then she began to get up from the table. The world immediately spun around her. Titan grabbed the taller woman's arms and supported her until the world's turning stopped.

"If that's your idea of okay, I don't want to see you when something's wrong," Titan remarked dryly.

"All right, so maybe I'm not okay," Setsuna admitted. "Normally this doesn't happen after my visions."

"So this is a first. Yay for me," Titan said sarcastically. "Want me to wake the others up so you can tell them, or should I let them get up on their own?"

When Setsuna opened her mouth to reply, Michiru entered the room. Setsuna could almost feel Titan of Dosei become Yami Hikari again.

"Who left the balcony door open?" the aqua-haired woman demanded. "Are you trying to get us to freeze to death?"

"That would be me," Hikari admitted. She then left, quickly heading back up the stairs.

The two women looked at each other in silence for a minute.

"What did I interrupt?" Michiru asked. "Hikari-chan seemed… different somehow before I came in."

"It wasn't Hikari-chan I was talking to," Setsuna informed her. "It was Titan. When you came in, it was like Hikari-chan was in charge of her own body again. It was a bit… disturbing to talk to her."

"So, what did you talk about?" Michiru inquired.

"I—I had a vision," Setsuna admitted. "It was when Hikari-chan, or I guess it was Titan, was out on the balcony outside their room." She then proceeded to recount the events leading up to her vision and the vision, leaving nothing out.

Michiru was silent for a little while afterwards, digesting the news.

"That means… what?" she asked slowly. "Ten girls, some ceremony before the Queen, bright lights. It's almost like they're Senshi whose powers were being awakened. But they aren't Senshi, so who are they?"

"Yesterday, Hotaru-chan mentioned Guardians," Setsuna reminded her friend. "That may be one of their ceremonies."

"But what for?" Michiru persisted.

"I don't _know_," Setsuna snapped. "I told you everything I know." Then she sighed and apologized.

"I'm sorry," the moss-haired woman said. "I just… don't understand. Usually, when I have a vision, I understand what it means. This…" She shook her head, at a loss for words.

"Well," Michiru suggested. "Why don't I get started on breakfast and you can have the honor of getting Haruka out of bed?" She laughed heartily when Setsuna groaned. Haruka did not get out of bed in the morning unless she absolutely had to.

"Should I get Hotaru-chan up too?" the Time Guardian asked tiredly. Hotaru could sleep through anything. Including attempts to wake her.

"No," Michiru responded with the smallest of wicked grins. "I'll leave _that_ honor to Hikari-chan."

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

_Titan_, a voice called in the teen's mind as she climbed the stairs. Stopping for a moment, Titan went back out onto the balcony, remembering to close the door this time.

_What is it, Lily?_ she called back through the mind bond as she rested her head in her arms on the rail, inwardly marveling that the others still wanted to talk to her after she had ignored them for nine years straight and only called one up when she wanted to cry.

_I heard that,_ Lily scolded. _You shouldn't think bad things like that. You should know by now that you can call us up just to cry. We don't mind. When do I get to see you in person?_ Titan was barely able to keep from laughing aloud at the eagerness in her friend's mental voice.

_Why do you want to see me?_ Titan asked seriously, confused. _I haven't talked to any of you since being 'born'—well, since the Fall actually—until the other night when I called up Triton. She called me names and didn't seem too pleased to see me. I would've thought that all of you felt that way._

_Don't insult me,_ Lily snapped. Softening her tone when she felt Titan's mind flinch away as though she'd been struck, the Earth princess added, _I care about you, and I know you wouldn't stay away from us without a really good reason. Besides, when I first came to the Moon, you were my only real friend there. Princess Serenity tried, but she would always ask about Endy all the time. It seemed like she only cared about me so she could get to my brother. I know she didn't mean it that way, but you were the first person I met who immediately picked me out and stuck up for me and really seemed to want to be my friend. Without you, I don't think I would have lasted to finish my training. So I can wait any number of years until you're ready to talk to us again. But I'm a little jealous that you called Triton and not me. I thought _I_ was your best friend!_ This time, Titan really did laugh at the pout in Lily's voice.

_I'm sorry,_ she apologized._ You _are_ my best friend, with only Saturn above on my list, but I couldn't find any plants. If you were going to transport, you'd need a plant so you could have a destination. You know rocks that have been formed into some shape don't work. A pond is water and water is Triton's element. So I called her. There was no fire, no ice, no lightning storm, no physical manifestation of love, I don't know how to tap the Time stream, and the wind would take too long to reach Miranda. So that left only Triton. But I really _am_ sorry I couldn't get you._

_'Sokay, _Lily immediately accepted graciously. _But when do I get to see you again?_ She couldn't mask her impatience.

_Um, I don't know,_ Titan admitted. _You see, they don't know I know you. You're in… ninth grade at Crossroads Junior High, right?_

_Yes,_ Lily admitted. _But I don't see what that has to do with anything._

_That's my new school,_ Titan explained. _We can meet up there. Then we'll have an excuse for knowing each other. If Miranda hadn't lived in America until about seven years ago and still comes back every summer, they wouldn't have accepted that she knew me either._

_Have you been seeing her a lot?_ Lily demanded.

_No, I can just feel her presence like I can feel you or any of the others,_ Titan replied in response to the other girl. _Don't get jealous of nothing._

Then, with a goodbye, she ended the connection. She knew she would be noticed if she stayed out here much longer. Besides, Hotaru needed to be coaxed out of bed. And who else should do it but someone who had spent years having to get Saturn out of her bed?

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"It's about time you got up, Haruka," Michiru scolded. Haruka yawned as she picked up a mug of coffee on the kitchen table.

"But we don't have school today," Haruka protested sleepily. "Why can't I sleep in?"

"Setsuna had a vision," the aqua-haired woman responded, dumping the information in her lover's lap.

"NANI?!"

"Yes," Michiru sighed. "She'll tell you and Hotaru about it once she feels human again and our daughter is down here. Oh, and apparently, Hikari-chan knows about Titan now."

Haruka stood frozen, coffee mug at lips, for a good few minutes. Then she shook off her paralysis.

"I need to go for a ride," she muttered, downing the coffee and heading out to the garage, running a hand through her unruly hair.

"I'M GOING TO **_KILL_** THAT GIRL!!!!!!!!!!"

The other three housemates raced into the kitchen at Haruka's scream. They arrived just in time to see Haruka stomp back in, eyes blazing, pick up the phone, and start pounding the numbers, still muttering threats.

"What happened?" Hotaru yawned, rubbing her eyes. She was still in her purple pajamas.

"We don't know," Michiru admitted. "I'd guess it has something to do with her motorcycle, though. She said she was going to go for a ride before she went into the garage."

"Oh," Hotaru replied with a nod.

"Well, if it's just about that cursed bike, I'm going to go make myself human again. My head is killing me again. That tea worked, but I think it's worn off," Setsuna growled. "_Why_ do these things make me feel like this?" she moaned, heading back upstairs as Haruka glared at her back.

Hikari laughed slightly as she watched the woman head upstairs, accidentally drawing attention to herself.

"Do _you_ know anything about my bike?" Haruka demanded, listening to the phone ring on the other end of the line.

"If I _did_, I'd tell you, princess," Hikari retorted, her voice a mix of mockery and sarcasm. "Besides, I've haven't even _seen_ the thing." Then she apologized. "Gomen. I'm not in the best mood today."

Haruka seemed about to snap back a reply when someone on the other end picked up.

_"**MIRANDA!!!!! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY BIKE?!**"_ she screeched as the others covered their ears and left the room. Unfortunately, even when they were on the other side of the house, they could hear her perfectly fine.

"How long is she going to be like this?" Hikari asked, looking interestedly in the direction the Wind Senshi's voice was coming from.

"Until she gets her bike back and can maim the one who took it," Michiru sighed. "We can only wait, Hikari-chan. We can only wait."

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Miranda had woken up early, before dawn. Something felt off. Then she noticed the worms-through-head feeling of Titan sending her spirit and power out to search for something.

"So that's what's wrong," she murmured to herself as she slipped out of bed, letting Taylor sleep. Knowing what was wrong, she figured the feeling would vanish because she had correctly identified it. She was wrong.

Suddenly, the phone jangled loudly and Taylor awoke. Miranda's feeling of dread only increased. With a groan, Miranda answered the phone.

"Moshi moshi?" she asked weakly, then suddenly yanked the phone away from her ear.

In the other room, Taylor heard, loud and clear, _"**MIRANDA!!!!! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY BIKE?!**"_

"I—"

_"**WHERE IS IT?!**"_

"In the complex's garage," Miranda admitted, shouting into the phone she held at arm's length.

_"**GET IT OVER HERE!! NOW!!!**"_

"I'm coming," Miranda sighed, hanging up. Then she went back into the bedroom to find Taylor sitting up in bed.

"I take it you heard?" the blonde asked wryly.

"Of course. You could have told me it wasn't your bike," Taylor accused.

"I know," the racer sighed. "But I didn't see the point. It was my quickest way home, and Ruka has let me borrow her bike so many times before… Plus, about a month ago, she said there was no point in me asking and that I could just take it. I guess I should've told her, though."

"Damn right you should have," Taylor snapped. "Get over there and give the bike back."

So Miranda picked up her helmet and left, muttering about how sometimes women could be more evil than youmas or the Yamis.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"How long is it going to be?" Hikari asked, avoiding the kitchen where Haruka waited like the plague.

"Since my guess is Miranda-san took it," Michiru responded with a sigh, "I'd say… about half an hour, not including the time it takes for Miranda to limp away."

"Great," Hotaru muttered bitterly. Then she looked up at her aqua-haired mother. "Did Setsuna-mama have another vision? Is that why she has such a headache?"

"Yes, darling," Michiru replied, hugging her daughter. "And she'll tell you all about it once she comes back down."

"What about Hikari-chan?" Hotaru asked. She had noticed the other girl staring very hard at something in the other direction, blinking just a bit too often. "Are you okay?"

"I already know," Hikari told her cousin, purposely ignoring the second question. "I was there when she had it, and she almost collapsed. I made her tell me."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't inform the world of my incident," Setsuna commented smoothly as she entered. "And you didn't force me to do anything." Hikari just shrugged and went back to staring at something nonexistent in the distance, appearing deaf.

"I'd rather wait until Haruka is done with her maiming until I tell the two of you about my vision," the Time Guardian said gently to her daughter. "I'd rather tell it as few times as possible."

"So why don't we get everyone back over here and tell them all at once?" Hotaru wanted to know.

"I can go back and hide in my and Hotaru-chan's room," Hikari volunteered brightly.

"Thank you, but no," Setsuna told the girl, making a face. "Let's just hope Miranda-san gets here soon with that bike."

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Miranda had just gotten off the borrowed bike when her charge slammed into her, knocking the pony-tailed blonde to the ground.

_"**DON'T YOU DARE TAKE MY BIKE AGAIN WITHOUT TELLING ME!!**"_ Haruka screamed as she tried to punch Miranda. Miranda dodged all hits, then got Haruka off her, twisting the shorter blonde's arms up behind her.

"Calm down," Miranda ordered flatly. "The motorcycle is _fine_. I know I should have told you, but I didn't want to interrupt anything. Gomen nasai, I should have told you, but next time, don't try to beat me into the ground. I can beat you to a pulp, remember?" Haruka stopped struggling then. She _did_ remember. The last match she'd had against Miranda had not gone in the Wind Senshi's favor. She actually had to be hospitalized for three days due to extensive injuries, Senshi powers or no.

"I'll be good," Haruka promised.

"Really?" Miranda asked skeptically.

"I promise." So Miranda let go of Haruka's arms.

"I'll let you maim me later," Miranda informed her charge. "Once this enemy is defeated and we're not gonna go to war anytime soon."

"How do you know about that?" Haruka demanded.

"You don't want to know," Miranda replied with a cocky grin. Then she turned serious. "All you need to know is that you and your princess are always protected and I will never turn against you." Haruka was silent for a moment.

"You like to be cryptic, don't you?" she questioned. Miranda grinned.

"Trust me, I'm speaking plainly in comparison to an old friend. It takes days to figure out something she says, even when you have all the information. Can I borrow the bike? Mine's in the shop." Haruka blinked, thrown by this change in topic.

"Maybe later," the Wind Senshi responded. "You already took it once without my permission. That means you don't get it the first time you ask. Try again tomorrow."

Miranda groaned. "I really wanted to borrow it…" she pouted.

"Maybe later," Haruka snapped absently, already looking over her precious bike, checking for damage.

"I _told_ you, the bike is _fine_!" Miranda exploded. "I've been on it _millions_ of times in the past! One night is _not_ going to make me into the worst driver in history!"

"Gomen," Haruka apologized as she stopped inspecting the bike. "I'm just a little out of it this morning. An aspect of my life was overturned yesterday and turmoil was added this morning."

"Was it called 'I-just-found-out-about-Titan' and the Time Guardian had a vision?" Miranda with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"How did you know?" Haruka demanded.

"Let's see…" Miranda drawled, tapping a finger on her chin, feigning thoughtfulness. "I was there yesterday when she came out, I saw her fight, I saw your expression when she did, and your reluctance to tell her about herself. Add that to the fact Setsuna-san sees the future and weird ships plus strange man equals new enemy, I'd have to say it was almost guaranteed that she'd have a vision. Did I miss anything?"

Haruka stared. "How did I not notice how smart you are?" she breathed, partially in shock.

"Because I've never had a good reason to show it," Miranda replied blithely. "It also helps that I've known about Titan for longer than you. Especially since you only found out about her yesterday."

"I'm going to stop being surprised at anything," Haruka muttered, shaking her head. Then she got an idea. "I was going to go for a ride just before I called you. Want to come?" Miranda seemed to be trying to decide if Haruka really meant it. Then she finally answered.

"You're not as deceitful as you used to be," she muttered. "Sure, but we might want to tell the others and I need to tell Taylor I'm not going to be coming straight back." So they went inside to tell the other Outers and phone Taylor before riding around the city.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"How long have they been gone?" Lily asked, tapping her foot with the beat of an old song Taylor was humming. The two were at the Crown Arcade and Diner.

"Little over an hour," Taylor replied, sipping her milkshake. "They'll be gone for another few at the least."

They were waiting for the Outers and Hikari—minus Haruka—to meet them here. Well, the Senshi didn't exactly know that Lily and Taylor were waiting for them. They thought they were just getting everyone together at the arcade to fill them in on Setsuna's vision. Lily and Taylor weren't involved in this plan in any way. But that didn't mean they didn't know about it. There really were some advantages to having a mental bond between their entire team, especially since the ten of them were spread out all over Tokyo.

Then Lily spoke a question which had been disturbing her for quite some time.

"What'll I do when I see him?" Lily was staring at the bottom of her empty glass, playing with the straw. Taylor knew who her dark-haired friend meant.

"If he remembers you, he'll come running over and hug you just like he used to," Taylor reassured her friend, laying her hand atop of on of Lily's. "If not, just try and accept it. Or pretend he's someone else. That may help with the pain."

"But I _miss_ him," Lily whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

"I know you do," Taylor comforted. "We all miss our charges."

"He's not just my charge," Lily snapped. "He's my _brother_!"

"I know," the aqua-haired woman sighed. "Sometimes I hate being an only child. You and Titan are always so happy when you're with your siblings. But is it really healthy for your lives to revolve around them like that?"

"Let me ask you something," Lily suggested, smiling again as she pulled her hand out from under Taylor's. "You've been with Miranda for basically forever, right?" Taylor nodded.

"Well," Lily continued. "How would you react if her memories were erased and she was taken away from you, put in danger almost daily, and there was nothing you could do about it or to protect her?" Taylor was silent.

"I see your point," she murmured. Life without Miranda—or _with_ her, in those circumstances—would be living hell. It didn't bear contemplating.

Lily seemed to read her friend's mind. "That's what Titan's going through," she explained. "She's with the person she's closest to and depends on most, and that person has no memories. Saturn is still a Sailor Senshi, still the fighter we all know her as, and as a protector of Serenity, is almost daily threatened. Titan has to deal with that, not to mention the knowledge that she can do nothing and has to act like an innocent, clueless civilian."

"Damn."

"Oh, yeah," Lily agreed. "I'm lucky. I've never worried that much about Endy, even though it's my job. Those twins were always worrying about each other. Plus, I don't have his feelings or thoughts running through my head. That's what Titan's used to, and I think she's a little… uncomfortable, that it isn't happening anymore, especially with the reborn Saturn so close all the time."

"You aren't supposed to talk about people behind their backs," a new voice scolded, and the two looked up to see Hikari standing at their table. "Could one of you let me in?" she asked. "I need to sit." So Taylor got up and Hikari slid in, taking the inside of the bench.

When Taylor sat back down, Hikari put her head on the table.

"Something wrong?" the older girls asked in unison, grimacing at each other. They sounded _way_ too much like Titan and Saturn did when the two wanted to be annoying. And if Hikari didn't notice, she was beyond exhausted.

"What do you think?" she grumbled. "Let me sleep."

"Why?" Taylor asked.

"Because I need it," Hikari muttered.

"Why?" Lily echoed.

"Setsuna had a vision, I had to drag her back into the house, I was up long before dawn, I'm still sore, I'm tired, I'm cold, and I have a headache," the dark-haired girl explained in one breath, still resting her head in her arms. "Anything else?"

"Where are the others?" Taylor asked eagerly. She wanted to talk to Michiru again.

"Over there," Hikari said, pointing toward another booth, one of the largest ones. All the Senshi, and the Prince were seated there, chatting happily, though Hotaru was watching the threesome closely.

"She still scares me," Lily whispered, hairs on the back of her neck rising. The look on Hotaru's face was one of complete concentration and very slowly returning memories and the frustration that went with them.

"Do I?" Hikari asked, forever defending her sister.

"Yes," Lily and Taylor chorused. Hikari stuck her tongue out at them and put her head back down. The others could feel from her mind brushing theirs that she was already in a deep sleep, which worried them. Yes, Titan _could_ fall asleep like flipping a switch, but not into a very deep sleep, like this one was. But they decided to leave her be while they could. She'd wake up if anything was wrong.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"There is something seriously wrong with the gears of fate," Luna muttered to herself. She and Artemis were in Mina's room, discussing the Guardians while the Senshi were at the Crown. They couldn't exactly dump the information about the Guardians in the Senshi's laps when they weren't even sure of what was going on.

"You're right," the white cat sighed. "But… how were they reborn? They didn't exactly count as part of the Princess' Court, and they fought and died on our side rather than the enemy's." Then he shook his head. "Something isn't adding up. If one Guardian has been reborn, then they all have. That's the way they've always worked. If something happened to the Princess, they were all there. Why would only one or two be reborn?"

"We know Titan was reborn," Luna said, recounting the facts. "We didn't notice anything strange about her aura until she revealed herself. We know that Hikari shouldn't know that Titan exists, though from her behavior with Rei, we can't be sure. Also, we aren't sure if she's one of the Guardians, or just someone who the Queen sent to this time.  
"Phobos and Deimos look like the Kasei Guardians," she continued, "and Haruka's friend Miranda seems a bit like the Ten'ousei Guardian. That those three _are_ Guardians is a bit of a leap, though. So we think we know who one is and have guesses on three more. That only leaves… five more, I think. Artemis, do you remember how many there were?"

"Nine or ten," he replied instantly. "One each for Suisei, Kinsei, Mokusei, Dosei, Ten'ousei, Kaiousei, and Meiousei. There were two for Kasei. I think there was one of Earth, who would have become the Sailor Senshi of Earth if the Silver Alliance hadn't fallen through due to Beryl and the Dark Kingdom. But I can't remember any names, or the uniforms. Just the vague outlines and voices. I can't match a certain voice or outline with any certain planet, though."

"Well," Luna sighed. "That's more than me."

"I was awakened before you," he reminded her. He had landed on Earth about a year before Luna, awakened to find Sailor Venus so she could be a decoy princess, and come into her powers sooner since she was the leader of the Inner Sailor Senshi. "So of course I know more."

Luna took a swipe at him. He rolled away and got tangled up in a pile of yarn and knitting needles someone had stuck under on of the consoles. Laughing wildly, Luna refused to help him.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"What's going on?" Hikari mumbled, rubbing her bloodshot eyes. Lily had just woken her up, saying they were going to show her something.

"There's something you need to see," Lily repeated, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"What?"

"You'll see," Taylor said, joining in on the mischief. "Get up and follow us. We already got permission."

"Okay," Hikari yawned, getting to her feet and following them to the arcade center.

The threesome stopped in front of the Sailor V game. It took a few moments for this to sink into Hikari's brain.

"Why are we here?" she finally asked.

"Well," Lily said as though explaining to a young child that one plus one equaled two, "Everyone else has tried it, and we figured it was your turn."

"What about the fire twins?"

"The birds did beautifully," Taylor said.

"I'll be sure to tell them you said that," Hikari said with an evil grin.

"Just play the game," Taylor snapped.

So Hikari sat down at the console and began to play. Silently, her two friends watched her score go higher and higher. Level 33… 34… 35… 36… 37… 38… 39…

"How do you do that?" Lily asked. "Only Maggie's gotten that high, and we all know why."

Hikari ignored the comment. She was busy.

Finally…

"Damn," Hikari hissed. A monster had shot her in the back and V had died. GAME OVER flashed on the screen.

"You are _way_ too good," said a voice from behind her. Looking up, Hikari saw it was Motoki, the arcade guy. "Hi," he said, grinning down at her.

"Hi. What do you mean, I'm too good?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"Only Usagi-chan, Mina-chan, and that girl, Maggie-san, have gotten anywhere near this level. Mina-chan's been tying with Maggie-san for the top score most times, but you just beat the both of them."

Looking back down at the screen, Hikari saw that it was asking for her to put her name. She had first place. After a moment of consideration, and looking at the other scores, she typed in, "DoseiGuard." For some reason, the maximum letters or spaces for your name on this game was ten spaces. She had no idea why, but it was there.

"Hey! Mamoru-kun! Usagi-chan! Get over here! Some midget beat your high score!" Andy called to his friends. Hikari glared at him. She was _not_ a midget. Short, yes. Midget, NO.

As Usagi and Mamoru hurried over, Hikari noticed a fierce burning in her wrists. With a wince, she forced down her rising anger and power.

_Fine, I get the point,_ she thought._ I get it. Now stop hurting me._ Slowly, the burning died away, leaving her with amazingly sore wrists, but otherwise fine.

"Stupid bindings," she muttered to herself, not realizing that there was a large crowd of people behind her.

"WHAT?!" a voice shrieked just over her head, nearly causing her to clamp her hands over her ears. "How did you get that far?"

"I'm just good at battle games," Hikari answered formally to Usagi as she started another game. "They're basically my life."

"What about friends?" the odango-haired princess asked, perhaps trying to get Hikari to die so she could have a turn.

"I don't really see them that much," Hikari answered, her eyes never moving from the screen. "So aside from rare communications with them and drawing or writing, battle games are my life. But it's dangerous to get too involved. You'll just get hurt, Meatball Head." Then she let Sailor V die and left, leaving her princess staring after her.

"She seemed so much older for a moment…" the Moon Princess murmured to herself. "Almost like the way Haruka used act before we knew her well…"

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Haruka!" Miranda called. The other blonde turned her head slightly to hear better. They were currently racing on foot at the racetrack.

"Yeah?"

"Ready to give up yet?"

"Never!" Haruka shouted back. They were neck and neck, currently on their 14th lap. They were going to fifteen and whoever was ahead then would win.

Then her communicator beeped. With a groan, Haruka dropped back slightly to answer it. No matter what Miranda knew, showing her this was not for the best.

"What is it?" she gasped as Setsuna's worried face appeared.

"Hikari vanished." This was not news Haruka was expecting. Maybe some new fight, but not the disappearance of her second 'daughter.'

"Where'd she go?"

"We don't know. She disappeared after playing the Sailor V game and saying something along the same lines to Usagi-chan that you told our princess when the two of you first met. Saying battle games are dangerous and that our princess would just get hurt."

"Any clues on where she went?" Haruka didn't notice that Miranda had dropped back to join her.

"None." This was from Michiru, whose face appeared on the communicator.

"She's up there," Miranda gasped, pointing to the stands.

"How do you know?" Haruka demanded. Miranda just pointed to the small black spot in the stands. Haruka relayed the information to the others.

"I win!" Miranda shouted, slowing to a trot.

"Nani?"

"I just finished the last lap," the Wind Guardian explained as Haruka turned off the communicator. Then she began to head up into the stands for Hikari.

Haruka followed.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"You feeling okay?" Miranda asked her pale friend, finding Hikari sitting in the stands, staring out at nothing.

"I guess."

"The truth, if you don't mind," the blonde demanded.

"Better than I did, but… I think we're in over our heads here," Hikari said softly, still not looking at her friend as Haruka puffed her way up the aisle. "We can't keep working separately from our charges. They'll be against us until they know our identities and we won't be able to work together with them. Our forces will be split in half." She would have continued, but Haruka chose that moment to appear.

"What are you doing up here?" she wanted to know. "Aren't you supposed to be with the others?"

"I couldn't deal with the amount of people," Hikari said. "So I came here. I guessed you two might be here. Besides, I wanted to see you two race."

"Come on," Haruka sighed. "Let's get back to the Crown. I need to tell everyone I found you and my legs are killing me."

Hikari didn't hear. She was staring at something off in the distance. Miranda knew enough about the girl to follow her gaze and see what was going on. She didn't see anything at first, but then the air high above the racetrack began to twist.

"Ruka-chan, we've got a problem," she murmured to the other blonde friend. Haruka looked where the other two were looking and let out a curse before using the silent all-call on the communicator.

The warp in the air grew, changing colors until a black figure appeared. A man, dressed entirely in black with a visible black aura, floated in the air above the stadium.

Thick strands of the aura shot out and wrapped themselves around Hikari. Her head snapped back and hit the chair behind her. Her eyes widened for a moment as the dark power surrounded her and Miranda noted with worry that the girl's eyes had turned completely black. Then Hikari collapsed within the aura ropes, her eyes closing and body going limp.

The man on the other end of the connection seemed overjoyed. The power surrounding Hikari went berserk. Black aura surrounded the ropes, thoroughly encasing the young woman in a black cloud of darkness.

Miranda got pissed. She knew only too well what this power was doing to Hikari, body and soul. Sending the girl back to that life was not something the Wind Senshi's Guardian would tolerate.

"Wind Anger Strike!!" she called thrusting a hand out at the man. The very air turned orange, surrounding the two blondes in a cloud before striking out at the man and the ropes. The ropes shattered on contact with the orange missile of the winds.

The first things that Haruka noticed when the cloud dissipated were that Hikari was free of the bindings, slumped on the ground; that Miranda was now dressed in an orange outfit with navy seams, sleeveless top, short shorts, the long gloves and knee-length boots that the Senshi would soon come to recognize as quickly as their own uniforms. The white bracelets upon the other's wrists were shining as though from Miranda's obvious rage. The final thing Haruka noticed was that she was now in her own Senshi uniform.

"Wha—?" she began to ask, but was interrupted.

"Not now, Uranus," Miranda snapped, sparing a glance and smile for her friend. "Be a good Senshi and get Hikari out of here and stay with her. It'll be better for her condition. If you're worried about how I'll manage, I've got friends coming and I believe you pressed the all-call. Now get lost." Sailor Uranus narrowed her eyes slightly, irked that she was being ordered around, but soon saw the wisdom in the words and scooped up Hikari, carrying her out of the stadium.

Explosions met Sailor Uranus' ears as she placed Hikari down on the grass a fair distance from the stadium. Fighting down the strong desire to go back and pummel the 'man' into a black smear on the ground, Uranus stayed with Hikari and silently pleaded with the girl to wake up. After all, she'd been ordered to stay with Hikari and she would do so.

But she didn't have to like it.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Someone's been busy," Sailor Moon whispered as she and the other Senshi arrived on the scene. Miranda, in the Guardian outfit—equipped with the transformation magic that kept normal people from recognizing her—was beating the 'man' into the ground, and enjoying it.

Every time he stood up and attacked, the woman easily dodged and struck out with the very air. But she was toying with him, not ready to kill him even though she easily had the power and ability to do so.

"Mars Flame Sniper!!" An arrow of fire protruded from the Yami's heart and Miranda's head jerked up to glare up at Sailor Mars as the Yami man burst into flame and was reduced to ashes.

"I was fine on my own," she snapped as the Senshi landed.

"You were toying with him," Mars said coldly. "There was no reason for that."

"He attacked and hurt Hikari," Miranda countered. "I wanted him to hurt too."

"Where's Haruka?" Sailor Neptune demanded, worried.

"Outside," Miranda told her with a smile. "She's Sailor Uranus right now and with Kari. I asked her to watch the girl for me."

Without another word, the Senshi flew out of the stadium and soon found Sailor Uranus on her knees, not that far away. With a shrug of her shoulders, Miranda decided to follow.

"How'd the fight turn out?" were the first words out of Uranus' mouth. Miranda chuckled and shook her head.

"Demon monster's dead. Lady Mars decided to stop my fun." Mars instantly glared at the new arrival. She was about to issue a sharp reply when Hikari groaned.

"Ouch," the girl whispered, opening her eyes and blinking them owlishly several times. Then her eyes locked onto Miranda. "What did you do?"

"Ano…" Miranda was seriously considering just running off, but she knew it simply wasn't an option. "I kinda… had Uranus get you out of there and… decided to entertain myself."

"By beating him into the ground several times and doing everything short of actually killing him?" Hikari asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ano…" Miranda had no answer the girl would accept. "I better go!" she called leaping into the air and vanishing.

"Some things never change," Hikari sighed, rolling her eyes as she forced herself to sit up.

"Are you all right?" Sailor Moon asked as Mercury whipped out her computer, beginning a scan.

"Aside from a massive headache and being sore everywhere, yeah, I'm fine." Hikari was staring up at the cloud-free sky, rather than the Senshi of Sanctity.

"Let's get you home," Sailor Neptune suggested, helping Hikari stand.

"Where do you live?" Saturn asked, feigning ignorance.

Hikari's dirty look said she saw right through the act and did _not_ appreciate it.

"Same house as you, baka," she muttered.

After a few more questions, Hikari finally managed to get home.

**AN:** That's it. Not really a cliffhanger. Stay tuned for the next one. Sorry I took so long. Maybe the next one will come up faster. Tell me what you think. Ideas, thoughts, comments, likes, dislikes, confusion, anything. I want and like reviews. BTW, if you like this one read "The Guardians of the Sailor Senshi." It's set during the Silver Millennium and explains the creation of the Guardians. I think it's really good.


	6. Revelations

**Disclaimer:** It ain't in the manga, it's mine. In the manga, not mine and never will be. Don't sue.

**Chapter Six**  
**Revelations**

"What did you do _this_ time?" were the first words Kaze Miranda heard upon entering her apartment. "I felt you transform. But you weren't really scared, just really mad at someone and worried about Titan. What did you do?"

"Some Yami showed up and tried to hurt Titan," Miranda sighed. She had reverted back to her civilian uniform soon after fleeing the scene. "He came pretty close to changing her back. So I… dissuaded him."

"Again, what did you _do_?" Taylor asked, glaring at her lover.

"I beat a Yami into the ground, almost killed him, revealed myself to Haruka-chan, attempted to keep Titan from changing, and then ran off."

Taylor slapped her.

"You _know_ we're not supposed to do that! There's a _reason_ they forgot! You know we aren't supposed to show ourselves! We're supposed to let them _remember_ us before doing anything!! I thought you knew that!" There were tears slipping out of her eyes, noticed only by Miranda, who was busy hoping that the walls were thick enough not to let everything through.

"I do," Miranda said softly. "But I really didn't have much of a choice. We were up in the bleachers, stands, whatever you want to call them. Ruka-chan and I had been racing and we found Kari-chan up near the top. She was all spaced out. At first she looked like she was going to start crying on me again, but then she… changed. She started to lecture me on how we need to work together with the Senshi." The Wind Guardian sighed. "She _knows_ that's against the very core of the way we work. They're our charges, and we're supposed to protect them, like invisible bodyguards. We _aren't_ supposed to work _with_ our charges, because then something stupid might occur. People can't think straight with their emotions running rampart like that."

"Our emotions are key to our powers," Taylor reminded her in a whisper, tears drying and laying a hand on the other woman's arm. "They give us strength."

"But not if we get too close to the situation," Miranda argued. "Then we have a harder time simply _controlling_ our attacks, let alone _powering them up_."

"Titan doesn't seem to have that problem," Taylor pointed out. "Or Lily. And you _know_ how close they are to their charges. Back to the original topic, what else happened?"

"Kari-chan didn't respond when Ruka-chan suggested going to the Crown, and then the air… did something weird."

"Which was…?"

"Twist and turn, and then a Yami showed up there. He wrapped Kari-chan up pretty good and I got pissed." She shrugged as though excusing her next actions. "I morphed the old way, pulling Ruka-chan along with me. She was a bit surprised, but took it rather well. Getting her to get Kari-chan out of there was… almost easy. That scares me. But she listened and got Kari-chan away and agreed to stay with her." With a pout she added, "I was having fun, but then Mars decided to show up and end my fun. It's not fair. I _liked_ playing." She was pouting and whining like a little kid, and looked like one, even crossing her arms.

Laughing, Taylor hugged her and added in a baby voice, "Well, is there anything else the big girl wants to play?" Instantly Miranda's eyes lit up and she kissed Taylor, fiddling with the hem of the aqua-haired woman's shirt.

"What are you doing?" Taylor asked when Miranda's lips released hers.

"You asked me what I wanted to play," Miranda pouted, beginning undo the buttons.

Taylor laughed and led the blonde into their bedroom.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Haruka-san?"

The blonde spun around to see Hikari standing in the doorway, looking worried and confused.

"What is it?"

"Why haven't you told them?" the dark-haired girl asked, coming into the kitchen and sitting down across from the Wind Senshi.

"I don't know," she admitted. "It just… doesn't feel right. I think she should be able to reveal herself when she feels she should."

"I think she'll appreciate it," Kari commented, getting some chocolate pudding from the fridge and digging in.

"You'll ruin your dinner," Haruka said automatically.

"Well, I'm really hungry anyway, so I don't see what it matters," Hikari replied. "Oh, by the way, you and Michiru-san are lovers, right? Not just friends?"

"Yeah…" admitted Haruka, slightly embarrassed for some reason.

"Okay," shrugged the younger woman. "Wasn't sure from the way the two of you explained your histories on my first night. You were being pretty vague and I wasn't paying strict attention. Any other reasons why you aren't gonna tell 'bout Manda?"

"Her name's _Miranda_," the Wind Senshi corrected automatically. Hikari just shrugged again. "Well, she's my friend and apparently she's been keeping my secret since I had one, so I'm just returning the favor."

"What if your princess asks?"

"How did you find out about her?" Haruka demanded.

"I can feel the presence of the Silver Imperium Crystal," the ebony-haired young woman sighed. "Only the females of the Royal Family of the Moon can so much as _touch_ that thing unless its current possessor gives it up willingly. The rest of us can't even really do so much as consider touching or taking the thing without some sort of problems. I think there's some _really_ old spell on it to make it that way. No idea what it could be, though."

"Oookay."

"Answer my first question, if you please?"

"Which was…?"

"What will you do if Serenity asks you?"

"I'll… just leave out the stuff about Miranda-chan. I'll say she was there before I transformed and not there afterwards."

"Well, it's _almost_ completely true," the Warrior of Death murmured to herself before adding in a normal tone, "Seriously? You're not lying?"

"Hai. She's my friend. I'm not going to break her trust."

"And that's all?" The Yami girl was skeptical.

"And I feel like she'll kill me if I don't," Haruka admitted. "I'm not sure if that feeling's coming solely from me or if it's also coming from—" She cut herself off abruptly.

"I know about Uranus, dumbass," Hikari said, rolling her eyes. "Or were you not paying attention during that Senshi meeting of yours?"

"How'd you know about that?"

"That the meeting happened or that it was a Senshi one?"

"Senshi," Haruka clarified.

"Auras." Hikari's answer was both simple and complex, and it didn't look like she was going to elaborate.

"I didn't think someone whose name means light would curse," Haruka finally said after a long silence.

"What?" Hikari asked, jerked suddenly from her daydreams. "Oh. Well, my last name means dark, and when you add in everything I've ever had to deal with, I think I've got all the license I need to curse. Don't judge a book by its cover, you know." Then she stood and left, leaving Haruka alone with her thoughts.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

The alternate guardian of the Time Gate was uneasy. She could feel the danger rising, her own power screaming in her ears, _begging_ her to get out of the fourth dimension _now_ and _fight_ with her friends and allies.

"I can't do that," she whispered as she stared out into the endless mists. "I am forbidden to leave until Pluto returns to her post." Then her garnet eyes filled with tears. "But she doesn't even know I do this. Nor does she—or the others—remember any of us. And we have never fought with them. Our techniques and vows all but require that we leave when they appear. This is not a battle the Senshi can win on their own, not even with our Princess fighting with the Crystal."

After a moment of indecision and consideration, she raised her simple black staff and slammed it into the all-but-nonexistent ground. Amazingly, a loud _clack_ echoed when she did this.

"CHRONOS!!" she shouted. Within moments a middle-aged man appeared before her, an angry look in his red eyes. (Yes, those eyes are a family trait as far as I am concerned.) The rest of him was hidden by the mists and their shadows.

"Yes, my child?" he asked icily.

"I must fight," the alternate told him firmly. "You know, Chronos, that no matter what I promised to you in regard to this gate when my charge is not here, my vows to my Queen will always come first. It's time for you to do the job intended for you."

"You mean Pluto always comes first, no matter what your Queen or anyone else says," Chronos corrected gently, stepping forward to reveal a man of average height and weight with graying hair.

"Yes. I'll be back eventually," she told him, impulsively hugging him tightly. "I'll miss you, old codger," she whispered into his hair as he hugged her back.

"And I you, my darling," she heard him say, with something that felt suspiciously like tears wetting her long hair and neck. Then she broke away from him, slightly embarrassed by her rash actions. Chronos was not an overly affectionate man, and was blushing a deeper red than his eyes.

With a slight laugh, Charon turned and walked through the Gates of Time to return to her charge.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

All around the city, young, slightly odd girls suddenly stopped in their tracks, freezing, a distant look in their eyes. Then, these girls took off running for the park.

Less than five minutes later, the nine girls, all gasping for breath and some bent over, met in the middle, near a pavilion.

Time seemed to stop for the young women as they stared at each other in shock. They had not seen each other in years and were busy taking in the changes.

Chiba Lily noticed the aqua-haired woman and her blonde partner first, mainly because they were grumbling about missing their 'quality time.' Fighting back a strong urge to roll her eyes or gag, she observed the other six girls.

Phobos and Deimos had been in their typical human forms, talking with their princess, when they felt the call. Of course, they had immediately rushed over. Unfortunately, they hadn't transformed into their crow forms. Nor were they the world's best runners. They were two of those leaning on her knees, trying not to fall to the ground as they looked over the others.

One blue-haired girl stood there, looking worried. _There's no fight, so why did we feel the call to come here?_ she wondered.

"Maybe because it was _our_ call," the younger blonde suggested. "Look around, Marina. Who's missing? That's who called us."

"My name's Kori Mary now," the bluenette informed the other eight as she looked around. "Not Marina."

Meanwhile, the younger blonde was fiddling with her hair which had come out of its ribbon binding. Her eyes kept going back to the smallest of the group. She just couldn't get over how _small_ and _frail_ the girl looked.

"Don't suppose the words, 'appearances can be deceiving' mean anything to you, _Magellan_?" Hikari asked the blonde, deceptively sweet. They could hear each other's thoughts and she did _not_ appreciate being called frail and small. She had enough crap to deal with from the rest of the world; she didn't need it from her friends.

"It's _Maggie_," the young teen objected. "Maggie. M-A-G-G-I-E. And my last name's Aijo." Hikari ignored her and continued drinking in the sight of her friends, even though one was missing.

There was a brunette, taller than everyone else, whose green eyes had taken everyone in on the first glance and now her mind was having problems dealing with the input.

"How—?" she asked weakly. Her shock was more than understandable. Never in the past millennium had they all been together. In fact, some of them were beginning to wonder if it would _ever_ happen.

"Don't ask, no one knows," Miranda suggested, looking disgruntled. "It just happened, and I'm going to throttle Charon if she's just playing tricks on us."

"Titan, you're a midget now," the brunette said, finally able to get her mouth to work.

"I KNOW that!" Hikari shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. "But there's nothing I can do about it, okay? Besides, it hasn't really hurt my abilities at all."

The appearance of an ornate door surrounded by pale white light silenced their conversations quicker than the dropping of the Silence Glaive would have. Especially when a young woman, seemingly in her twenties, stepped out, dressed in the typical Guardian outfit, only this time in a blend of black and maroon, with garnet gemstones inlaid, matching her eyes. She held a simple black staff.

"Would a transformation be good?" Hikari suggested. "Sane people with freak, Charon."

"Are you implying that we aren't sane?" the brunette asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"No," Hikari countered. "But we aren't exactly normal either." The brunette conceded the point.

"You… are… really… short, Titan," Charon finally said.

"I don't have to put up with this," snapped Hikari, spinning on her heel and beginning to stomp off. Charon blinked, wondering at this strange behavior when the brunette quickly followed and wrapped her arms around Hikari's shoulders, both as a hug and to keep her from leaving. Sometimes empathy came in handy.

"You know we don't mean it like that," she pleaded. "So don't leave now, Titan. It's just that… well, we're used to you being taller and older." She was a little shocked when the smallest on their team didn't resist, but instead leaned into the hug.

"I know," Hikari whispered, tears falling down her cheeks onto the brunette's wrists. "I know you two didn't mean it like that. But I've been having a really hard time dealing with anything recently." Her shoulders began to tremble as the tears slipped down faster and faster. She really needed to cry, just sit down and bawl her eyes out like a baby, but didn't want to frighten her friends any more than they already were from her behavior. Nor did she want them to think any less of her.

She didn't realize what was going on until she was surrounded on all sides by her friends and they were hugging her, asking what was wrong, and generally trying to get her to stop crying. Her response was to cry harder and hug them all and not let go, for fear that something would happen and suddenly they would all decide to leave her, or that she would discover this to be a dream.

Her friends noticed this, and though unnerved by her tears and sobs, did their best to assure her they wouldn't leave her alone. After all, if she wanted to, she could just call them in her mind.

"No," Hikari mumbled as she clung to Lily, laying her head on the other teen's shoulder. "I can't. It's not the same and besides, I live with the Outers. Even without all their memories, they can sense my power when I use it. So I can't really start many conversations."

"What's your new name, Io?" Miranda asked the brunette, trying to get the attention off of their Warrior of Destruction.

"I'm now Kaminari Irene," the super-tall girl offered. "What's yours?"

"Christy," Charon said simply, having changed into a civilian form when Hikari had started to stalk off.

"Any last name with that?"

"None that you'd use," Christy responded, watching the young woman she had known as Titan carefully. "Marina, what's your new name?"

"Kori Mary," the blue-haired girl said softly. "Triton, your new name is…?"

"Mizu Taylor," the aqua-haired woman replied, laying her head on the shoulder of her lover.

"I'm Kaze Miranda," the older blonde volunteered.

"Chiba Lily," Lily responded as Hikari dried her eyes, finally feeling secure enough to let go of her best non-blood-sibling friend.

"We're the same," Phobos and Deimos said in unison.

"Never expected any less, fire birds," Miranda smiled.

"Yami Hikari," the smallest girl whispered, instantly covering her ears, foreseeing the result of her words.

"YAMI!?!" they all shouted as one. One or two added some questions containing one too many expletives, so Hikari ignored those and turned to the hyper, blue-eyed blonde.

"Maggie, your nickname now your name?"

"Yep," the blonde stated proudly. "Now you can't call me Magellan!"

"Wanna bet?" the other nine asked in unison, wicked grins on all their faces.

"Oh, dear," she sighed. "That was dumb of me."

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

"Hotaru-chan!" Haruka called as she wandered through the fairly large house. "Do you know where that cousin of yours went?" she asked, finally discovering the girl in her room, CD player on fairly loud. She flicked it off amid her daughter's protests.

"No," Hotaru sighed. "She was here one minute, then she raced out of here, looking like the dogs of Hell were after her. I'm pretty sure I heard the front door slam."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were," Haruka sighed, "considering the way she's been acting since she showed up. That Titan part of her may have made quite a few enemies. Your mother wants us for dinner. You sure you have no clue where she is?" she asked hopefully. "I've searched the whole house."

"None."

"Lovely. Your mother is going to skin her alive once we find her."

So the two went downstairs to find the other women and organize a search party.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

Less than an hour later, one of them had the great idea to check the park and found Hikari sitting on a bench, staring at nothing, eyes red from crying.

"What were you thinking?" Michiru shouted. "Do you have any idea how worried we were? No, of course you don't! You just ran out of the house without even bothering to tell us where you were going! And you _know_ you are supposed to tell us when you leave!" Hikari didn't even blink, not looking up from whatever she was staring at.

"Calm down," Setsuna said quietly, laying a gentle hand on the Water Senshi's arm. She had seen her second 'daughter's' face, unlike Michiru, and knew shouting would do no good.

"How can I calm down?" Michiru demanded, turning on Setsuna. "You know how worried I was! The crime rate in Tokyo's gone up a lot this past year! Something could have happened to her!"

While Setsuna endured the tirade, Hotaru examined Hikari from her spot next to her 'father,' trying to see if there were any visible injuries. Then she went over and sat next to her cousin on the stone bench, placing a hand on Hikari's arm to get her attention. Kari's head jerked up. Apparently she had not noticed a thing, even with Michiru yelling and screaming.

"When did you show up?" she asked.

"Couple of minutes ago," Hotaru said with a grin. "Didn't you hear Michiru-mama shouting?"

"Only just now," responded Hikari. "Why's she doing that?"

"Well, you led us on a pretty long wild goose chase," Hotaru explained. "We've been looking for you for about an hour, all over the city. And Michiru-mama's mad because you didn't tell us where you were going when you left or when you'd be back."

"So she dragged you three all around Tokyo… looking for me?"

"Hai," Hotaru responded, her eyes narrowing with concern. Why _didn't_ Hikari expect them to come look for her when she didn't come back?

"Why?" asked Hikari plainly, obviously confused, her emotions playing around on her face and in her eyes.

"You're my cousin and they're your legal guardians now," Hotaru said condescendingly. That tone clammed Hikari up. Her eyes lost all feeling and her face went blank as whatever hopes she had had immediately crashed and burned. Saturn was definitely sleeping very soundly within this girl or the tone would have been gentle, coaxing her to cheer up and stop being so gloomy, though the only word changed would have been 'cousin.' _Or,_ thought Hikari, _maybe Hotaru doesn't house my best friend after all. Maybe…_ Then common sense caught up with her heart. _No, this is Saturn's vessel. Otherwise my power would not respond this way to her._

Forcing herself not to start crying again, Hikari stood up, catching Michiru's attention again. The woman spun, preparing to to spit words of venom to make the teenager regret her actions, but then she saw the look of complete loss with the grief and sorrow that accompany it plain as day on the dark-haired girl's face, along with the reddened eyes and tear stains.

"Why don't we get you home?" she said instead, putting one arm around the girl's shoulders. Hikari leaned into the embrace, needing comfort. Michiru gave it, hugging the girl tightly, saying everything would be okay. Still, Hikari fought back her tears. She didn't want to cry in front of her new family.

Once Michiru deduced that Hikari would be fine, they went home and sat down to dinner. No one mentioned the incident, though they all noticed that their newest family member was constantly close to tears.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

Charon—in her civilian identity as Christy—had decided to stay with Lily for the time being, until she could get a place of her own. She found everything in Lily's apartment fascinating and it was driving Lily crazy to explain things like what a pencil sharpener was, or a coffee pot, or a TV. Eventually Christy realized that she was getting on her friend's nerves and quieted down. But due to her behavior and the fact that Lily couldn't find her sleeping bag, Christy got to sleep on the couch. It really wasn't as uncomfortable as people claim, if you're a deep sleeper, which Christy was.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

Once splitting up and getting back home, Miranda and Taylor resumed their 'quality time,' and so their friends all made sure to not attempt to contact either of the couple through their mind bonds. Once, Lily had done that when she was young, and she had long since claimed to be scarred for life. The couple was offended—both that their fun had been interrupted, and by the 'scarred for life' comment—but since then no one had attempted to contact them when they were having 'quality time.'

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

Everyone else had made their way home and made the various excuses to the authority figures in charge of their lives, and had immediately gone to bed, completely exhausted. Running halfway across town can do that to you.

**AN:** Sorry people, but that's the end of the chapter. Least it's not a cliffhanger. Comments, anyone? Do I have any plot holes, anything that doesn't make sense? Somebody knowing something they shouldn't? Can anybody guess the relationship between Charon and Pluto? Or the possible relationship between Haruka and Miranda?


	7. Guess They Know Now

**AN:** Yes, I've finally gotten around to writing chapter seven. Yay, me.

**Review Reply!**  
**RyougaZell:** Yep, more Guardians. Guess how many there are total? I plan to freak everyone out with the M/T and various other similarities between the two groups (and couples). As to the Hikari revealing that she knows she's Titan, go back to the very beginning of chapter five. See it? Now, scroll down to where Setsuna is staring at Hikari and has one of her little visions. Go up ever so slightly and read the paragraph where Hikari must explain herself to Setsuna. She states to herself that she _is_ Titan. Unfortunately, the Senshi do not hear this, even if we do. So they don't believe she knows about herself.

**Disclaimer:** I own merely the Guardians and Yami. Nothing else.

**Chapter Seven**  
**Guess They Know Now**

"What's bothering you, my daughter?" a melodic voice asked from the mists.

"Hikari-chan," Usagi sighed, seated on the crumbling stone steps of the. "She's… like Hotaru-chan used to be, but she's also like Sailor Saturn was when she was about to destroy everything, only a lot sadder." Abruptly, she spun to face her mother from her past life. "Who are the Guardians?" she asked. "Queen, you said that I'd know what to do if anyone ever came to me claiming to be my guardians, but not Sailor Senshi. Well, I have no idea what to do. Help me!"

"Usagi," Queen Serenity sighed. "This is not something I can help you with. I cannot give you all the answers to your problems. Search Serenity's memories and you will find the answer." She glared at her reborn daughter. "And you had better let her look, Serenity!"

"But Mother!" the princess whined, a light surrounding Usagi and pulling off to form into Princess Serenity a few steps away from her reborn self.

"She lets you look at her memories; you can do the same," the Moon Queen scolded. The debate and protesting continued for a few minutes while Usagi watched. Soon, it was destroyed by laughter from within the mists.

"Who's there?" Usagi called, ready to transform if need be. The Queen looked perfectly peaceful, only slightly surprised, but her daughter…

"Three guess, Tsukino Usagi," a familiar voice called as a woman walked into view.

"Titan!" the younger Serenity screeched, causing everyone but her mother to wince, and leapt at the newcomer. "I _missed_ you! How'd you get here? Why aren't you dead?"

"Off!" Titan laughed. "Get _off_ of me, Princess!" Serenity showed no signs of letting go, so Titan reached back with her violet-gloved hands and pulled the woman's hands off from around her neck.

Serenity pouted when Titan pushed her away, but stopped with a look from her mother. The dark-haired woman just shook her head slowly, still chuckling.

"How did you know my name?" Usagi asked the woman.

"Who do I look like?" the dark-haired woman returned.

"An older Hotaru, Sailor Saturn, an older and healthier Hikari, and the woman who died in my dream," Usagi answered.

"Well, I'm definitely not the first two," Titan responded as some of the light dimmed in her eyes. "And that woman didn't actually die. She was… placed elsewhere and protected before she could do so."

From the sound of Titan's voice, it seemed she would rather have the woman actually dead.

"Are you glad she lived?" Usagi asked.

"Sometimes," Titan admitted. "Sometimes I wish I'd just gone to the Cauldron instead of the Castle."

"So you _were_ the woman in my dream!" Usagi exclaimed.

"Why did you do that?" the younger Serenity asked. "Get in the way, I mean. I died anyway."

"I'd rather not let anyone on Beryl's side have the honor of your death, princess," Titan responded seriously. "Besides, I'm under oath to protect you. And I didn't want to see anyone I helped raise be killed," she added, almost as an afterthought. Then she turned to Usagi. "Any questions?" she asked.

"If you're Titan, and the woman from my dream, who else are you?" Usagi asked instantly. "I know I know the name 'Titan,' but I can't remember where from."

After a moment's hesitation, Titan agreed. "I'll show you who else I am. But you have to promise not to freak and go crazy." Usagi promised.

Then a deep purple light began to creep around Titan, growing thicker and thicker until the woman was encased in the light.

Slowly, the globe got smaller and smaller until it was the same size as Hotaru. Bit by bit, the globe faded and eventually vanished from existence, leaving a frail teenager in its place.

"Hello, Usagi-san," the girl said softly as the two Serenitys watched.

"HIKARI-CHAN!!!" Usagi screeched. The girl didn't even flinch.

"Yes?" she asked.

"What are you—? How are—?" Usagi couldn't finish.

"I'm Titan, asleep, and now here." A true grin lit her fact as she turned to the two Serenitys. "I fell asleep and came here," she said, obviously happy. "Nothing in between." The princess and Usagi were confused.

"Good for you," the Queen said softly. Hikari's smile got bigger for a minute before vanishing.

"Someone's visiting," she murmured, staring up at the black space above. The the purple light, once again surrounding her, shimmered before she changed back into Titan. "I'm gonna see who it is," she added, before leaping straight up and vanishing over their heads.

After a few minutes of silence, the Queen spoke.

"Well, Serenity? Aren't you going to show Usagi your memories?"

With a groan, the younger Serenity placed a hand on Usagi's forehead.

"Close your eyes and do _not_ panic," the princess ordered. Usagi followed the commands, and memories flashed past her eyes.

_A dark-haired girl, crying in Mother's lap._

_The girl and her twin racing down the hall to be caught by Mother._

_The same girl catching her (Serenity) when she tried to run off to the rose garden._

_Receiving a lecture on behavior from the young woman a few years later._

_Whining to her when Mother laid down a new rule._

_Being caught on Earth and being dragged back to the Moon by one pigtail by Titan._

_Titan standing up for her when she was in trouble for not choosing one of the men at the banquet to marry._

Slowly, the images stopped.

"Those are just the first ones that popped into my head," the princess explained. "I didn't want to give you an overload."

"I'm glad," Usagi responded, blinking owlishly a few times to get the final afterimage to vanish.

"It is _amazing_ how long that took," Titan commented from behind them.

"When did you get back?" Usagi and Princess Serenity asked at the same time.

"A while ago," Titan responded, smiling slightly. "Serenity, your mother recently finished explaining what was going on. I've been watching since then. And Usagi-san? Could you do me a favor and _not_ tell your Senshi about this? Or at least leave me completely out of it? I can name four of them who will kill or maim me for not saying who I am."

"I'm not sure," Usagi admitted. "I'll try to keep your secret, but it they figure out I'm hiding something, they'll make me tell. And are you saying that Hikari-chan and you are the same?"

"There _is no_ Hikari," Titan elaborated. "It's just the name I was given when my memories were repressed and I was sent to Earth. And if they ask, I understand that you have to tell them. Just try to keep them from killing me, okay?" Then she looked toward Earth, studying it a moment before adding, "We need to get back to Earth. It'll be morning soon."

"Yes," Queen Serenity agreed. "You do need to get back." Her daughter hugged her before going back to her place beside Usagi.

Titan looked uncomfortable and torn for a minute, then ran and hugged the Queen tightly. After a few moments she went back to the blondes, holding out her hands. Usagi and Serenity each grasped one and silvery-purple light surrounded the three as they vanished from the Moon.

"Good luck, my daughters," Queen Serenity murmured before also vanishing.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

Usagi opened her eyes and found herself in the park, facing Titan, holding her hands and watching the sunrise. She dropped Titan's hands like they were burning bricks and the dark-haired woman easily let her arms drop to her sides.

"Something wrong?" Usagi asked.

"What?" Titan had had a faraway look in her eyes and was now recalled to the present. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just… remembering. You'd better get home before your family notices that you're gone."

"Okay," Usagi agreed. "But hadn't you change back and hurry home yourself? It's a long way."

Titan shrugged, the light of her power surrounding her to leave Hikari behind. "I'll be fine. They've noticed that I like to wander around when the sun's coming up. I left a note before I went to bed. Besides, school's out on break, so hopefully they'll sleep in."

Hikari had been living at the Outers' house for the past two weeks, and they had all agreed to register her after Christmas break, if only to give her a bit more time to get over culture shock.

The two girls began to walk toward Usagi's house, discussing Titan, the 'strange warrior' who showed up at each and every attack, the new enemy that kept appearing erratically, Usagi being Sailor Moon, and Hikari's life.

"How long have you known?" the pig-tailed princess asked.

"Known what?"

"Being Titan, and about us," Usagi elaborated.

"Um… I've known about being Titan for… nine years or so, and I figured out about you lot when you showed up at the house. What would a normal person call it, by the way?" Hikari asked.

"I'm not sure," Usagi realized. "Whenever I go over there, I always just say that it's the house of whoever invited me and then I give Mom the phone number and hurry off." The princess began to mutter quietly to herself, Hikari listening intently. "I guess… Let's see… Hotaru-chan's a minor, Haruka-kun moved in… Setsuna-san… might have bought it, but Michiru-san could've inherited it. So it'd be either 'Kaioh Residence' or 'Meioh Residence.' "

"Okay," Hikari responded with a nod. "That explains—get down!"

Usagi turned slightly to see something small and black quickly heading for her head and she felt herself freeze, which she had never done, even in the beginning of her career as Sailor Moon. As it was about to hit her, she was knocked to the ground.

"You're getting slow," a voice taunted from behind them.

"Are you okay?" Hikari asked Usagi, getting off the blonde and helping her up.

"Yes…" Usagi said slowly. "But what—"

"I am Damion Mamiru (No, that's not a misspelling of 'Mamoru,' _or_ 'Darien.' I'm not gonna name some villain after him)," the man announced grandly before listing all his titles. The long list gave the girls ample opportunity to examine him.

He was wearing the same loose, black robes that the other men had worn, and he had two fistfuls of knives in his belt, in addition to the sparkling black throwing stars in his hands.

Usagi resisted her instinct telling her to transform, battling it with the need to keep her identity secret.

Hikari felt both her power and conscience ordering her to keep Usagi safe. She followed it, but didn't let what she was doing be obvious. Usagi would feel guilty and try to get her to leave, while the man would blast her to oblivion to get at Usagi, though he might not know who the blonde was.

"Usagi-san," Hikari asked quietly, backing up as the man advanced. "How far is your house from here?"

"End of the block," she responded. "Why?"

"You might wanna head there. This guy is out for blood. I'd rather it not be yours."

"Is that because I'm the princess, or what?" Usagi demanded, offended. Inwardly, Hikari sighed. So much for keeping a secret.

"Partly," she admitted. "But also… You're central to the lives of Hotaru-chan, Haruka-san, Michiru-san, and Setsuna-san. Their worlds would all but end if something were to happen to you. The Inners are probably the same way, unless something drastic has happened in the last four years that I don't know about. You owe it to them to get yourself to safety."

"What about you?" Usagi demanded. "The Outers won't be happy if something were to happen to you, and I'm not about to let you sacrifice yourself for me."

"It's not a sacrifice," Hikari murmured to her princess, still backing down the street. "Just run like the wind to your house and get inside. He won't attack you if you're indoors. They don't want casualties besides the ones they've been specifically told to create. I can take care of myself and I know how they think. Now, _move_."

Usagi spun and ran down the street and back into her house as fast as she could move.

Hikari kept the man from throwing any weapons at the princess and bodily prevented a chase. Small and frail-looking or not, she was good at fighting and knew many ways to keep a man from advancing.

Hikari slipped into a defensive position as soon as she heard Usagi's front door open and slam shut. Keeping her eyes on the man's hands, she continued to back up.

When he threw the throwing stars, Hikari dodged them, thanking God that these weren't tracking ones. She'd be dead before she could blink if they were, and no amount of power would be able to bring her back.

Once he began to throw the knives, the teenager began to consider using her powers to keep herself from dying. He was far too accurate with them.

An eternity or a minute later, Hikari found the man choking her. Her power and abilities were brought into play as she thrust her knees and feet up and against the man's stomach, throwing him far away and into someone's fence. Her power knocked him out and kept him that way.

Scrambling to her feet, wheezing, Hikari tried to leave, but a policeman showed up.

"What is going on here?" he demanded. Hikari tried to explain, but her voice didn't come out the way she wanted it to and she found herself being dragged off to the police station for disrupting the peace.

By the time they made it to the station, she could breathe and talk properly again and could tell the men her address and phone number.

Before they began questioning her, they waited for her family to arrive.

"What happened that you attacked that man?" the officer asked.

"I _didn't_ attack him," Hikari sighed. "_He_ attacked _me_. It was self-defense. He was choking me, and had been throwing knives at me."

The men obviously didn't believe her and kept trying for a different answer. Finally, Hotaru, the only truly awake Outer, couldn't stand it anymore.

"Will you just _leave her alone_?" she shouted. "If she said she didn't attack that guy, then she didn't! End of story! She didn't know him and had never seen him before! She had no motive! Leave her alone and _believe her_! She is _not_ a liar!"

"What were you doing outside at such an early hour?" the policeman asked. "You must admit that in itself is suspicious. Most of the city is not up before dawn."

"I couldn't sleep," Hikari said. "I went for a walk. I was on my way to the park, and wanted to see the house of one of my and Hotaru's friends. I'd never seen the house before and wanted to know where it was."

"Why?"

"So I could go visit her if I wanted to," the girl explained.

"Leave her alone," Hotaru snapped. "She didn't do anything wrong! She said the man attacked her while she was on a walk. Everything she did after that was self-defense. We knew she was on a walk. Whenever she goes on one early in the morning, she always leaves a note. Today was no different. Leave her alone already!" Then she grabbed her cousin's hand and stalked out of the station and back to the car. The other Outers quickly followed, climbing into the car and heading home as they listened to Hotaru's grumbling about the policemen.

"You can stop now," Hikari said when they went back into the house. "It's over and they apologized as we left. They said they wouldn't pull me back in again."

Hotaru stopped for a few moments, then noticed Hikari's arm. "What happened?"

"What?" the girl asked, looking at her arm, which was now oozing blood and staining her ripped shirtsleeve. "Delayed reaction, I guess. I felt it hit, just didn't notice it after that."

Hotaru pulled the shirtsleeve up and place a glowing hand on the wound. "Better now?"

"You could've just gotten a bandage," Hikari pointed out as they climbed the stairs to their room.

"I have powers; why not use them?" Hotaru countered. Her cousin just shook her head sadly and changed shirts as the adults went back to bed.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

"Lily? What's wrong?" Christy asked, looking up from her breakfast.

"Titan… Something happened," Lily said quietly. "She probably got into a fight or something. I felt a large surge of her power a little while ago, and I just felt a brush of it again. I think the brush was probably Hotaru, though. Titan doesn't feel quite like that."

"Any idea just what happened?"

"None," Lily said. "Want me to show you around town later? You need to know this place anyway, if something attacks."

"Sure thing." Then Christy went back to her cereal.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

"Luna, do you know what's going on?" Usagi asked. She'd explained her night—including what she'd promised to keep silent about—to her advisor and they had both watched the fight.

"If there really is no Hikari, then Titan has greatly changed in the past millennium," the feline answered. "It used to be that the only time she would hold back in a fight was if something might happen to Saturn or if Saturn told her to. I don't understand why she'd let off easy someone trying to kill her." Then the policeman showed up and they watched the Yami girl get taken away. "I don't understand why she doesn't fight back and lets this happen to her. She is refusing to go on the offensive."

A little over an hour later, Usagi was calling the others on her communicator for a meeting, yet again, about Hikari.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

"So where's the meeting gonna be?" Hikari asked Hotaru once Usagi and the others signed off. "Here or somewhere else, like the Control Room in the Arcade?"

"Probably here," Hotaru admitted, unsurprised about her cousin's extensive knowledge of Senshi things. "Everyone can come over here without suspicion, but not at the Crown. Wanna get breakfast now?"

"This oughta be interesting," Hikari muttered to herself. To Hotaru, she said, "Sure," and began to head downstairs, look-alike following.

±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±

Soon everyone was gathered in the living room, almost completely awake.

"Remind me why we're here, again," Mina yawned.

"Usagi-chan found out some more about Titan," Luna answered. She then proceeded to explain everything Usagi had told her, leaving out nothing. Once it was over, everyone was wide awake. Haruka looked very angry that she hadn't been told before, and immediately went over to the stairs and shouted up, "Hikari, get your ass down here, _now_!"

"I'm over here, oh bright one," a sarcastic voice replied from the kitchen. Haruka went in there and began to pull Hikari toward the others. The girl jerked her arm out of the grip and stalked into the living room on her own.

"Hi. Why do I keep getting dragged into your meetings?" she asked, sketchbook in hand, yet again. "It's not like I'm ever gonna be a Senshi."

"Because we like your company?" Lita suggested.

"Another reason, please?" Hikari requested. "One that actually has a chance at being the truth?"

"Because Luna asked me questions and I called the others," Usagi answered. Hikari looked at her for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she said, "So who has questions?"

Almost everyone had at least one, and at the end, Hikari ended up transforming, much the way she had on the Moon, except Luna launched herself at the warrior.

"Why did you decide to hate me now, after over a thousand years?" Titan groaned, pulling the cat off her bleeding arm. "I never did anything harmful to you after I turned ten!"

"How well did I know you during the Silver Millennium?" Titan looked at Hotaru as Usagi got a tight grip on her hissing pet, obviously trying to decide how much to reveal.

"Really well…" Titan admitted slowly. "Much better than anyone else."

"Were you lovers?" Haruka asked. "Neptune used to say that to me after we got together."

"NO!" Titan shouted, swinging her fist into Haruka's head and storming off, grumbling about stupid memoryless princesses.

Everyone watched her go, Haruka holding her battered head as she did.

**AN:** Yes, end of chapter. Chapter Eight being written even as you read, people. So, R&R. This story is dying from lack of reviews. Please help it.


	8. Christmas Shopping

**Review Replies:**  
**Princess Areanne:** Yay! You've put so many of my stories on your favorites! I was completely floored when I found that out! The Sailor Quartet protects ChibiUsa in the future. Hope things are clearer now.  
**firelightz:** Wow, thanks for the compliment. Please keep reading.  
**RyougaZell:** Yes, Hotaru asked the Silver Millennium question.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Sailor Moon, the Guardians would have made multiple appearances. Plus, I'd be Japanese. I am not Japanese, and the Guardians don't exist in the manga or anime. You know what I own, so don't sue.

**Chapter Eight**  
**Christmas Shopping**

_Titan, what's going on?_ Lily called through the mental bindings.

_You're annoyed,_ Miranda added.

_Didn't you say your charge was _smart? Titan snapped as she headed down the street. Then her tone softened to normal._ Could everybody meet me in the park?_ she called. _The Senshi are having a meeting and we may as well too. In any case, we need to figure out what we're going to do._

The Guardians all agreed and in five minutes, there were ten women gathered in the park, half sitting in trees and the other half seated comfortably on the ground, reviewing their current situation.

"Well, what else could I do?" Titan sighed, altering her uniform slightly so she wouldn't look so odd. Everybody had showed up in her own uniform and had made little changes. Titan had shrunk the books to ankle-high and made them black. She was also missing the gloves. The rest of the team's changes were similar, but no one could recognize them for their civilian forms due to magic.

"Can't think of anything else," Phobos admitted, perched on a thick branch next to her twin. "You didn't tell about the rest of us, did you?"

"I may have lost my secret, but I didn't lose my mind," Titan informed them from her position in the grass." I'm not that stupid. Besides, Rei more or less knows about the two of you, remember? From the first showing at the last meeting?"

"We know," Deimos sighed while Phobos explained what had happened to the Guardians who hadn't been present at the time.

"By the way, thanks for that healing," Phobos added. "I really needed it."

"Yes, you did," Titan agreed. "Your arm was broken in three places, and that strike was draining your energy."

"Like Beryl and Metallia did?" Io asked, brown hair playing across her face in the wind.

"More or less," Titan admitted. "But what are we going to do at the next showing? The princess and everybody know my name and that I'm a Guardian, supposed to protect Serenity and a certain Senshi, but that's it. They don't know which one, or about you guys. Will you all just show up if you can get there?"

"I think we can handle that," Marina responded, ice blue uniform perfectly matched for winter. "We know how to keep hidden and still protect. Besides, we have a built in alarm system if the Senshi are in danger." She held up her right wrist, where the bracelet showed the symbol of Sailor Mercury. The others relaxed or smiled because they each had their Senshi's symbol burned into their right wrists centuries ago. The Guardians would know if something happened, for the tattoos would burn like acid until the danger had passed.

"So… if our tattoos burn, head toward danger like a butterfly to a flame and make sure everybody's okay?" Maggie reiterated.

"It's moth, not butterfly, and yes, we make sure our charges are okay and help them destroy the bad guy," Io agreed. "But should you really come, Titan? You know what will happen to you."

"I'm coming!" the dark-haired girl snapped. "Besides, I'll probably already be there, so I don't think I'm allowed to sit out. And it'll only happen if I let it."

"So you _let_ that guy wrap you up?" Miranda asked skeptically from another tree. "Didn't look that way to me."

"No, I didn't let him. He was just really fast. He didn't give me any warning, aura or otherwise. I just knew he was coming; not what he'd do. But I didn't think they'd remember me this fast," she admitted, mostly to herself.

"What do you mean?" Triton questioned from the branch below her lover. "What did you do?"

"Um… let's just say they have orders to kill me or completely turn me and leave it at that," Titan suggested quickly. "To explain is to bring up a lot of things you would all hurt me for if an attack were to happen here and now."

"Hurt how?" Marina asked.

"Hurt as in can't fight, correct?" Charon assumed.

"Yep," Titan responded. "And be more or less unconscious until fight ends. Can we just leave it alone now?"

"What will we do if none of them recognize us?" Triton asked after a few moments. "They may try to kill us. Do we just run away, or do we try to explain?"

"I'd suggest running," Io called. "Those attacks move fast and they _can_ kill _us_. Just because we can't hurt our own charges doesn't mean it works the other way around. I've been on the receiving end of some of Neptune's attacks before, and believe me, they _hurt_."

"She's right," Miranda agreed. "World Shaking is very painful, and the Inners and their attacks aren't exactly useless."

The talk went along this line until Phobos suddenly remembered something.

"Hey!" she cried. "Isn't Christmas next week?"

"Yeah!" Maggie shouted. "Who wants to go shopping for presents?" Everybody instantly agreed to this plan and they all headed toward the shopping center, not bothering to change their uniforms.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Hotaru-chan," Michiru asked softly. "Why did you ask Titan how well you knew her?"

"Almost every one of Saturn's memories that I've seen has her in it," the dark-haired girl explained. "Saturn and Titan seemed really close, so I asked." Then she turned to her adoptive father. "Haruka-papa, Saturn has a message for you." Here Hotaru's voice changed slightly, as did her manner, and all knew that it was Sailor Saturn, Crown princess of the Silent Star to whom they were now talking. "If you _ever_ say _anything_ even remotely like that lovers comment about Titan and me again, you will find yourself breathing through a broken windpipe."

"What?" Hotaru asked a few minutes later, discovering everyone staring at her with a mixture of shock and, well, mostly just shock… except for Haruka, who was more than ready to kowtow to Saturn and beg forgiveness.

"I'll explain later," Setsuna said gently. "But we need to move on. Anyone have anything else to add?"

"Luna, why do you hate Titan?" Bunny asked the black cat. Luna ignored her mistress. "Well?" the girl repeated.

"I just don't like her," Luna grumbled.

"So you draw blood?" Artemis asked from his position on Minako's lap. He received a glare in reply.

"Hey!" Minako called, suddenly spying a calendar. "Who wants to go Christmas shopping? I still need to get my gifts!"

"That's right!" Ami cried in horror. "I still need to get my gift for Kaa-san!"

Thus, the Senshi meeting turned into a Christmas shopping trip. Everyone headed to the shopping center, disbanding and agreeing to a meeting place and time upon arrival.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Think we've got everything?" Lily asked her best friend as they bought milkshakes and fries for a snack.

"Think so," Titan agreed. "But I'm stuck on Hotaru. I don't know her well enough to know what to buy her, considering the fact that she acts differently around me than the others."

"It doesn't help that you turn into an ice bitch when it's not small talk," Lily laughed.

"Hey!" Titan protested. "I'm not _that_ bitchy! I just avoid her when I can. My tongue's control isn't the best in the first place, and being alone around her doesn't help!"

"No, it doesn't, does it?" murmured Lily softly, staring down at her chocolate milkshake. "Don't know what to say without causing questions and problems…"

"It'd help if they all just remembered everything," grumbled her companion.

"They've already changed," she was reminded. "We'd still have to adjust."

"But it sucks constantly having to watch every little thing I do!" exploded the Warrior of Destruction. "I can't so much as sit in the same room as her without wondering what I'm doing wrong!"

The Crown Princess of Earth stared at her best friend and blinked once. Twice. Three times, and forced herself to speak. "Damn. I'd forgotten how close you two were. I swear, I don't think I ever saw you two in the same room without you two as close together as you could get. Weren't you usually holding hands if someone saw you in the hallways?"

"Yep," Titan laughed. "I really pitied the newcomers, not having a clue and thinking all the wrong things. But we were sort of… security blankets for each other, I'd guess you call it. So long as we were together, nothing too bad would happen."

"So that's why," Lily replied. "I always just thought you two were overly emotional."

"That was definitely part of it," agreed her friend. Then she turned the topic back to the original one. "What are you getting Endy?"

"Not sure if I am," Lily muttered, squirming. "I mean, I'd _love_ to, but he, as Mamoru, doesn't exactly know me. I'm not friends with the Senshi, and I've typically always kept to myself at school, so we've never spoken. After I remembered," she shrugged, "to be honest, I just always chickened out."

"So nothing?"

"That's right," the girl admitted.

"How much money do you have left?"

"Not much, why?" Lily asked, suspicious.

"Well, there's a bookstore near here, isn't there?" Titan responded with a wicked grin. "Wanna go look when we finish snack?"

"So long as we don't spend forty or more minutes in the manga section," Lily warned.

"I think I can do that," laughed the other girl

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Let's see," a middle-aged woman murmured as she glanced into store windows. "I've got Ani's gift… and I want to get one for Rena and Titan… but I don't know where they are… Damn." As usual, the woman kept her hair covered. The stares she received otherwise were a bit too grating on the nerves of a former Yami warrior. So rainbow hair was odd on Earth, big deal. There were people running around with aqua and pink hair as their _natural color_, for goodness sakes! Why did _she_ get the stares?

_Because you've got every color in the universe on your head,_ a voice laughed inside her mind.

_Titan?_ the woman demanded, incredulous. _Rena? I was just thinking about you two!_

_Probably why you can hear us now,_ the two girls replied together.

_Where are you, Mom?_ the darker voice of Rena added.

_You know that big bookstore?_ Tahi responded.

_That's where we are!_ Titan interrupted. _By the manga section! Lily's looking at cookbooks for Io._

Silently, Tahi cut the connection between her and her 'daughters.' Then she quickly entered the shop, scanning for the girls. Sneaking up on them was almost too easy.

"Daydream much?" she asked dryly from behind the two dark-headed girls.

They instantly spun around, one with a cookbook in hand.

"Tahi!" the other shouted happily, wrapping the woman instantly in a tight hug. "When'd you—?"

"Didn't I teach you manners, Rena?" Tahi laughed, pulling her adopted daughter off her.

The other girl just looked on, confused.

"You aren't speaking Japanese or English," she finally said. Titan instantly blushed deep red.

"Sorry, Lily," Titan sighed in Japanese. "Habit. Just small talk. This is Yami Tahi, an old… family friend, you could say."

With some quick thinking—and even faster talking—Tahi and Titan convinced Lily that no, Tahi wasn't a member of the Yami species even though her surname was Yami, and that Tahi used to baby-sit Hikari back in America. Rena was cackling inside the women's heads as they wove and implanted this lie.

_Shut up, Rena!_ Titan snarled at her alter-ego. _Just _shut up_ already!_

Eventually, when Tahi added her voice to the protests, the girl fell silent.

After a few more minutes, and a promise to meet up again soon, Tahi left the duo and continued with her shopping.

**AN: **Okay, I'm _so_ sorry for the delay and length of this chapter, but I've been fighting off Writer's Block since I finished the last one. It has closed in on me again, so I decided to just end the scene and the chapter. Give me all the comments and suggestions you have, 'kay?


	9. Meetings

**Disclaimer:** If it appears in the manga, it's not mine. Everything and everyone else IS.

**Chapter Nine  
Meetings**

"_As a Senshi's Guardian, you must always act honestly and honorably. This is so no unfair images shall be formed of your charge due to your actions. No less is expected from one with such training. As the daughter and sister of two Senshi, it is expected that you conduct yourself in such a manner benefiting your station and family. You have farther to fall if you fail in this than if you were not related to your charge. Bring pride to your teachers, family, and charge with your actions."_

Hikari sighed as she opened her eyes. That speech given shortly before the knighting ceremony so many years ago had been running through her head all afternoon, ever since the Outers had invited her to go to the movies with them and she had declined.

But why did the end never enter her thoughts unless she forced it there? Why did her mind always leave out the final words of encouragement and praise for the past years of hard work?

"What did I do this time?" she groaned, levering herself up into a sitting position on her bed. "Why's my mind trying to punish me now?"

_Maybe it's _not_ trying to punish you,_ a dark voice suggested in the back of her mind.

"How d'ya figure, Rena?" Hikari asked, idly playing with a strand of hair.

_It's one of the happy holidays coming up,_ the other explained. _You've spent the last two months fighting severe depression. Christmas is ramming home that the only gifts or people you want, you can't have._

"Gee, way to help me out," the Warrior of Ruin grumbled with a wince. "That _really_ got it off my mind."

_Gomen,_ Rena muttered. Hikari could feel the other's embarrassment._ Didn't mean to make it worse._

"I know," the Guardian sighed. "Still have Christmas truce?"

_Of course!_ the other snapped, offended that she might break or forget a vow.

Hikari began to laugh for the first time in months.

* * *

Chiba Lily plopped down at the counter at the Crown.

"Hey," Motoki called from the other end, "what do you want?" Such a casual attitude towards her was normal, considering that she'd been coming to the Crown for years.

"A large Coke," Lily called back, hauling her Science textbook out of her satchel. "I need caffeine if I want to finish this."

"What're you working on this time?" the blond asked as he poured her drink and set it down in front of her.

"A packet that's _way_ too large," she retorted, pulling it out to show him just how long it was. The packet was a good inch thick.

"Is it complicated?" he asked.

"Yep," she grumbled. "And the teacher has a special way he wants everything done…"

"Good luck," he wished her. When she stuck her tongue out at him, he laughed and said he'd help her out on break if she were still having trouble.

Grumbling about annoying blond boys, Lily opened her textbook and grabbed a pencil. This homework would take a while.

* * *

Chiba Mamoru yawned as the bell atop the door announced his presence. He'd been up late talking to his professors, explaining that he had some family problems and needed to be home for this tough time. Would it be at all possible to send him the missed work? Apparently it was, but everything would have to be scanned and sent by email.

"Well, at least I won't fall _too_ far behind," he muttered to himself as he wandered over to the counter. As he traveled through the room, a girl seated at the counter drew his attention.

"Kuso," he heard her hiss before she stuck her finger in her mouth. "Baka."

"Is that aimed at yourself or your pencil sharpener?" he asked, seating himself next to her.

The raven-haired girl's head shot up and he saw shock registered in her eyes before they became hooded and she pulled her thumb out of her mouth. "Both," she retorted, wiping the blade on her pants. "Who're you?"

With the oddest feeling of déjà vu, he introduced himself and pointed to her open textbook. "Having trouble?"

"Depends," she retorted. "Would I finish faster or slower with your presence?"

He pretended to be wounded and clutched at his heart. "Touché! You wound me, fair lady."

"This fair lady wishes no pain upon the gentleman in her presence," she responded, her eyes smiling as her voice was mockingly grave. She waved her hand at him. "I command your wound to heal itself and the gentleman to provide assistance to the lady and her homework."

Mamoru broke out laughing at this, and she couldn't keep back a smile either.

"I'm Chiba Lily," the raven-haired girl told him when he stopped laughing. "And I want my homework done before this place closes."

The Prince of Earth blinked upon hearing her name, and pushed the feeling of familiarity to the back of his mind. _I know her; she's special,_ it kept chanting until he locked it away. _I know her. She's important to me._

"Then I'll need to see what you're studying," he answered, reaching for her packet.

* * *

A few hours later, Motoki was starting over toward his two regular customers, who had been coming since before his father gave him the business, then stopped and stared.

Those two looked like they belonged together.

Something about them… The hair color and face shapes, perhaps. The two looked so much alike that the blond was ready to call them siblings.

Just as he thought this, the store manager overheard someone make a comment to Mamoru: "Wow! You're helping your little sister? That's amazing. You're such a wonderful big brother; mine would never do that. Good luck!"

"What was that 'good luck' part about?" Lily grumbled. "That lady makes it sound like I'm a monster or something."

"_Why_ is everyone saying we're siblings?" Mamoru moaned. "Do we even look alike?"

Motoki thought he saw a glimpse of pain flash across Lily's face as he went over to them. "Yes, you do," he answered. "I've known both of you for years, and I was about to call you siblings before my memory caught up. Besides, your hair and faces are almost the same and your eyes…" He hesitated a moment, wondering how to phrase what he wanted to say.

"What about our eyes?" Mamoru pounced.

"You know you have the oddest eyes anywhere," Motoki answered, "and that I've seen a million people and no one has eyes that look even close to yours. But Lily's are exactly identical to yours. If you were the same size, people would probably be calling you twins."

"So your name's Lily?" Mamoru asked, turning back to the younger girl. Motoki burst out laughing. A wry grin crept across the black-haired girl's face as she answered. "I told you that when you walked in, remember? Full name's Chiba Lillian. But Lillian sounds too formal, so everybody calls me Lily. You know, the flower? If you don't want to forget again, just call me Lily. I don't mind, especially since you've been letting me call you by yours."

"I know, Lily-san," Mamoru responded, answering on automatic. _Chiba? Is that _really_ her surname? Sure, it's a common name, but still… If Motoki's comments are correct, we might actually be related!_ He still had few memories of his past before his sixth birthday.

"Mamo-kun, Earth to Mamo-kun," Lily called, waving her hand across his face.

"Nani?" he asked.

"You were spacing out," Lily groaned. "Think you can focus, or are we done?"

"Um…" the medical student glanced back down at her packet and textbook. There was only one page left. "I think we can keep going. But do you want dinner first?"

"If you're paying, _nii-san_," Lily answered, grinning.

Mamoru stuck his tongue out at her before turning back to his best friend. "Can I order two hamburgers and fries?"

"And two hot chocolates," Lily piped up.

"And two hot chocolates," Mamoru agreed.

As Motoki went to fix the order, the 'siblings' began to discuss video games and odd teachers.

* * *

Kori Mary was taking a walk around Tokyo and getting many odd looks.

Maybe it was because she refused to bow her head against the snow coming at her face.

Or perhaps, just perhaps, it was because she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

Either way, Mary refused to acknowledge the looks and the few gentlemen who offered her a coat… but more often included a place to stay, while looking at her lecherously. Resisting the urge to stop them from smiling for a long time, or to have them in just that position forever was one of the hardest things she'd done in years, especially considering all the snow on the ground and in the air. It would just be so easy to turn it into ice…

_I wonder what everyone else is doing,_ she thought absently. So, simply because she was bored, she reached through the mind links to the other nine girls.

_Yes?_ Miranda and Taylor asked in unison, grumpily.

_I'm bored,_ Mary retorted as six other minds asked the same question.

_So why are you calling us up?_ the others asked.

_I just said that,_ the Ice Warrior grinned.

_I think they want another reason,_ Titan put in softly.

_I don't have one, _Mary answered, her random mode settling down as she and the others felt how Titan was hanging back, only making the bare minimum of contact. _What's wrong?_

_Nothing_, Titan lied unconvincingly. _Just thinking._

_That's bull,_ Phobos informed her instantly. _What's wrong?_

_Nothing!_ Titan protested again, _Seriously! I was just…remembering._ The last part was so soft that the others believed Titan hadn't meant to let them hear it.

Everyone was silent for a moment, but then extreme pain lanced through the link, forcing all ten of them to cry out.

_Who?_ Mary demanded, the first to be able to think straight again. Eight voices inside her head disclaimed knowing the cause of the pain.

_Matte… Titan? What about you?_ she asked once she realized the smallest hadn't answered.

A few minutes later, there was still no answer.

_Miranda, can you find her?_ Mary then demanded._ I think we need to know what's going on._

_Sure,_ the Wind Guardian answered instantly._ Anybody know where the Senshi are? I know the Outers went somewhere this morning. I'm not sure if they're back yet._

After a short conference, she was told that the Inners, the Prince, and the Princess had all met up at the Arcade. Then Charon reached through the link to her charge and was able to give the Outers' location and mood: the movies and entranced in the film.

So, with the knowledge that the Outers' house should be empty but for Titan, the nine girls began to head there, Miranda searching for Titan's presence.


	10. Battle

**Disclaimer:** I own only the Guardians and Yami. No one and nothing else. That includes Rena, whom most of you don't understand about. Things'll get cleared up soon… //wicked laugh//

**Chapter Ten**  
**Battle**

Mamoru stared at the place Lily had been sitting just a moment before.

"She left her stuff behind," he mumbled as his mind tried to process what had happened.

They had been eating dinner and chattering about the games in the Crown when Lily's face had gone white for a moment and Mamoru had put his arms around her, offering support and praying that she would not pass out. Lily had grabbed his arms, needed the support he offered.

"Thanks," she gasped a moment later, some of the color returning to her face as she uncurled her fingers from their death-grip on his arms. "I'm okay now."

"Are you sure?" Mamoru asked worriedly as he released his companion. "You don't look that good."

"I'm sure. You're not a mother hen; stop acting like one," the raven-haired girl answered. "I need to go."

"Want me to come with you?" he instantly queried. Though he had only met the girl a few hours before, he felt responsible for her. "What if you try to faint again?"

She gave him a sad smile and kissed him on the cheek.

"You're just as sweet as before. But, no, I have to do this myself. Goodbye, Endy. I love you, and I'll see you soon. Don't follow me."

Then she was gone, her dinner and bag the only traces of her presence.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Setsuna had no great love for her ability to always know what was going on around her. It could make it so much harder to concentrate on one thing and nearly impossible to block out her surroundings, no matter how much she needed to.

But, right now, she was very grateful to this fact.

It meant that she was aware when Hotaru drew in a sharp, pained breath and got up, quickly sliding out of the movie aisle and heading toward the lobby.

The Senshi of Time followed.

"What's wrong?" she asked, cornering her daughter in the lobby. "And don't say you have to use the bathroom. You don't make sounds like you're being stabbed then. Explain yourself."

"It's nothing," Hotaru muttered, looking guiltily at the ground. "I just want to go home and check something. I'd be quick and back before the movie was over."

"Why didn't you _tell_ one of us before you decided to do this?" the moss-haired woman demanded. "We'd be more worried if you left, didn't come back, and we couldn't find you. What were you thinking?"

Hotaru's eyes flashed, but she kept her voice under control as she answered, "I would've come back. I just think something's wrong at home and I want to check on it. If everything was okay, I would've just teleported back. You wouldn't have even noticed."

"Is this 'it' Hikari-chan?" Setsuna demanded. "I know we've been out all day, but she has Haruka's cell phone number and she knew we wouldn't be home until late when we left. Why are you suddenly so worried, anyway? You two haven't interacted much, aside from the first day and sharing a bedroom."

"I know," the ebony-haired girl mumbled, shamefaced. "I just feel… odd… around her. And Saturn always wants to come out when she's around. But I really _do_ think something's wrong. When I was in the theater, it felt like someone lit me on fire or something for a moment. Hikari-chan's hurt. I need to make sure she's okay."

Setsuna stared at her daughter for a long moment and finally conceded, knowing Saturn was also awaiting an answer. And God help the poor soul who displeased the Senshi of Ruin…

"You can go," she answered with a nod. "But if you're not back in five minutes—and I mean _back in your seat_, not the theater—I'm telling Haruka and Michiru and coming home to get you, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Saturn nodded, grinning slightly. "I should be back by then, if this is a false alarm."

With a formal bow of sorts, the girl ran towards the ladies' restroom, where she would lock herself in a stall before teleporting.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing," Setsuna sighed to herself.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Oh… my… Kami-sama, help us," Kori Mary gasped as she arrived at the home of the Outers. There was no doubt of the presence of the Yami inside. Who else could encase the mansion in such a large globe of raw magic, blacker than the night? It also had magical tentacles that seemed to lash out at her as she approached.

"How are we getting in?" Taylor asked, businesslike as she as Miranda got off the motorcycle.

"I ain't clearing a path through _that_," the Guardian of the Wind answered instantly. "Even if I _could_, I choose life."

Her partner smacked her upside the head as the others arrived.

"This is _insane_," Phobos announced.

"You're _sure_ she's in there?" Deimos asked uncertainly. "How'd you track her in the first place? Wouldn't all that magic mess you up?"

"She's in there," Irene answered for Miranda, the brunette pale as a sheet. "And a bunch of others, too. I'll be right back: I'm gonna be sick." Saying so, she hurried behind a nearby bush and quickly released the contents of her stomach.

"The magic… thing wasn't there when I first found her. I felt something… weird… forming when I got out, though," the biker answered as she transformed.

"Again, how do we get in?" Triton asked, having transformed with everyone else after her lover had.

"I know!" Maggie cried. "Amoursike!"

A blast of scarlet magic burst from her hand towards the house and encircling magic, growing as it gained distance.

A splintering crash echoed for a good two kilometers as the two enchantments collided and fought for dominance. One anxious moment later, there was a heart-shaped hole in the globe, large enough for four men to walk abreast.

"C'mon!" the younger blonde called as she began to run towards the opening. "While it's still open!"

"Well, there goes any element of surprise we had," Charon muttered under her breath as she and the others began to race after their Warrior of Love.

"Just hope we don't get shot," Io snapped shortly. All the raw power and overwhelming, conflicting emotions were giving her a headache and her stomach kept trying to rebel.

"Any idea how many are in there?" Marina asked the empath.

"I'd guess… twenty people, give or take two or three," the brunette answered. "Yami magic keeps interfering, so I can't get a lock on _anything_."

Marina swore under her breath and passed the number along to the others just as they breached the wall.

Most, if not everyone, inside the mansion, whether Yami or otherwise, would be a trained and seasoned fighter and prepared to kill to complete their objective.

Time for battle.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Titan bit down hard on the inside of her mouth to keep herself from screaming. That would just make things worse, she knew. He just got excited and hit harder when she showed that he was hurting her.

Her mouth filled with the salty tang of blood as she felt Magellan's magic break through the Yami's hold.

_If you have any sense, you'll run,_ she informed her friends through their mental bond as her face met steel-toed boot… again.

_Away!_ she added as their presences continued to grow brighter and closer within her mind.

_Not a chance,_ Lily informed her tartly. _You don't let anything through usually, especially not pain. Someone's hurting you, and we intend to stop it. Plus, someone's put up a ward on the house. Maggie wanted to break it._

_Fat chance,_ Titan answered, having only heard up to the words "stop it" though her pain and weak attempts to protect herself.

_Titan, where are you?_ Triton asked quickly, feeling the connection begin to fray.

_Bedroom…_ came the faint answer as the bond finally snapped.

Deimos cursed in the kitchen as she shot a stream of fire towards the nearest Yami, focusing only enough attention upon him to make sure he burned. "If we're gonna get there, we need to move _now_!" she shouted to the others, some of which were fighting out of sight, in the living room.

The others agreed and stepped up their attacks, aiming for the quickest way to end their current opponents, rather than the most merciful.

_We're on our way,_ Miranda sent towards Titan, but they didn't know if she heard or not.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Sailor Saturn muttered curses under her breath as she hopped rooftops.

She couldn't just transport to the house. No, that would be too easy, wouldn't it? The Yami had it _very_ thoroughly warded, and Saturn was unable to find a weakness she could push through from across Tokyo. And crushing it with her raw power just wasn't an option… unless she wanted to crush the house and everyone inside it in the process, which just _slightly_ defeated the purpose of the whole rescue/murder mission in the first place.

"I'm gonna kill that bastard," the Senshi of Ruin muttered to herself. "First, I'm gonna break his arms, so he can't throw things at me. Then, I'll break his jaw, so he can't cast spells. Then…" A wicked smile lit the face of the Soldier of Destruction as she contemplated possible tortures for whoever it was that was harming her baby sister so badly.

When the mansion came into view, shielded and with a hole in the side large enough to see clearly the battle going on inside, Saturn sped up.

Titan would maim Saturn if any of the Guardians were killed.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Setsuna kept glancing at her watch, though her body kept an _extremely_ accurate internal clock.

Hotaru—or, rather, _Saturn_—was already three minutes late returning.

Maybe she was just being paranoid, Setsuna thought to herself as worry nagged at her gut.

_No,_ a voice inside her said. _Your daughter's really in trouble._

This decided her and she tapped the shoulders of the loving couple and gestured for them to follow her out to the lobby. Their outbursts would be slightly more accepted there.

Once there, she explained what had happened nearly ten minutes before.

Michiru quickly grabbed Haruka as the blonde's hands made for the moss-haired woman's throat.

"Hotaru is capable of taking care of herself," she reminded her lover. "Besides, we trust her, remember? Setsuna's just worried. Do you really think she's in trouble?" the violinist asked, directing the last question at the Senshi of Time.

Setsuna merely nodded.

In response, the couple began leading the garnet-eyed female towards the restrooms to transform.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Tahi of the Yami kept playing with the ends of her hair.

Whenever she realized that she was doing this, she forced herself to stop and her hands to return to her lap.

"Stupid nervous habits," she grumbled to herself. "_Damn_ the Master to Hell!" A thought struck her suddenly and she stood to shout something to another occupant of her house.

"Ani," she called, "I'm going to be leaving for a while. I won't be home until after dinner. You're on your own."

Then, muttering to herself about the negative qualities of this "Master," the rainbow-haired lady left the kitchen table of her home and opened her cupboards, quickly filling a dark cloth bag with jars that most definitely did _not_ carry items such as instant soup or vegetables. These were all filled with dark powders and the marking upon them were in an extremely old, possibly dead, language.

The Yami's original language from the Silver Millennium.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

"Silence Glaive Surprise!"

Miranda dodged out of the way of the violet magic cutting through all animate objects within its path.

"Don't aim that at me!" she shouted as she released her own attack at another Yami.

"Then don't get in the way!" Saturn shouted back, using the Glaive's physical powers upon her opponent when he decided to live through the magical attack and keep attempting to fight back. The blade upon the Glaive was becoming bloody.

Suddenly, there were no more Yami upon the first floor or stairway to fight.

The Guardians and Sailor Saturn instantly raced for the stairway, the Guardians quickly relinquishing their ability to go first to Saturn, due to her temper, which was still flaring, and especially due to her weapon.

The Guardians were shocked when they entered the shared room of Hotaru and Hikari to discover Titan, curled up in a fetal ball against the far wall, her only sounds being ones of pain, and a tall, muscular, dark-haired man beating her, mostly kicking her and lashing her with his black magic. His magic sliced open Titan's skin and she was bleeding from the many places where she had been hit. His feet, however, were what caused the most anger: he was wearing steel-toed boots. This realization cut through their shock and allowed them to move again.

However, the only movement necessary for them was to get away from the doorway as the man noticed them.

He took one look at Saturn, turned bone-white as he recognized her, and raced for the doorway.

She attempted to grab him, but missed.

After a glare at his retreating back, the woman turned her attention towards her sister.

"Shit," she muttered as she tried to approach Titan and was stopped by the black and violet magic which had begun to swirl around the girl on the floor. "Does she even know she's doing that?"

"Why can't you touch her?" Lily asked with curiosity.

"She's put up a shield," Saturn answered absently, her mind intent upon solving the puzzle presented to her. "And it's not just Dosei magic. If it was, I could walk right through."

"Is it Yami that's keeping you out?" a strange voice queried. "I'll help. I brought ointments."

"Better have lots of bandages, too," Saturn answered as she turned around to face the newcomer. The Guardians stared in shock. Who did Saturn know that had _rainbow-colored hair?_

"Of course," the woman answered confidently, striding forward to where the sisters were. "Think she'll let us in together?"

"She'd better," Saturn answered grimly, taking the woman's arm in her gloved hand. Magic began to flow out from their bodies, seemingly from their very pores, and quickly surrounded the two. Violet power from Saturn soaked the air and mixed with the midnight magic given off by the other woman.

Slowly, the two women took one step forward. When Titan's magic did not stop them, they continued until they were able to touch the Guardian of Sailor Saturn.

"You're an idiot," Saturn murmured as she knelt and reached into the bag the other woman held.

"She can't hear you," the woman replied patiently.

"I know that, Tahi," Saturn retorted. "Just shut up, okay?"

The Guardians were wondering at the familiarity the two women shared when the rest of the Outer Senshi appeared outside the window…

…And began attacking the Guardians.

"Will you _stop_ that?" Marina shouted, narrowly avoiding Uranus' World Shaking. "We haven't _done_ anything!"

"I see Hikari on the ground, beaten to a pulp, and you lot not ten feet away, drenched in blood. Name another explanation," Uranus growled, gripping her Sword tightly.

"If you stop attacking," Saturn suggested, "they might be able to do that."

Scowling at the Senshi of Ruin, Uranus released her Space Sword and it returned to its subspace pocket. "Start talking."

"We felt Titan get hurt," Marina explained coolly. "So we came to see what had happened. There were a few obstacles in our way that needed removing. Saturn came and helped us with that. Then you showed up and started attacking us. _Unprovoked_, I might add."

"Ever hear the proverb: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,' Sailor Uranus?" Saturn asked as she stood, magic flowing off her to form a thicker cloud around Tahi and Titan. "Can you take care of her for a bit, Tahi?" she asked. "I have something to get rid of."

"If you show me where the bathroom is so I can get these bloody rags off her and clean her up," came the instant response. "And he should still be inside. Most of the barrier's still up and you put up a second one."

Saturn pointed to the closed door on the opposite side of the room. "Through there."

Then she hurried out the bedroom door, murder in her eyes.

The three remaining Outers and the Guardians stared at each other in awkward silence as Tahi scooped up the unconscious girl and moved towards the bathroom.

"So… how long since you've been awakened?"

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

**AN:** Yep, that's it. I know, I know: it's short. But stuff happened, didn't it? Besides, it's almost two in the morning and I'm gonna pass out if I don't go to bed soon. And I SWORE to myself I wouldn't go to bed until I'd finished this.


	11. Trip Down Memory Lane

**Disclaimer:** I own only the Guardians and the Yami. No one and nothing else.  
**Warning:** Dirty language and minor sexual things. Don't like, then go away. Wait... //looks back at previous chapters// That should be on the first chapter for the whole story, not this. //mutters, shakes head//

**Chapter Eleven**  
**Trip Down Memory Lane **

Haruka had detransformed and cornered Miranda when the other Guardians were leaving, demanding answers.

"I _told_ you! I _can't_!" Miranda protested again. "Why won't you _believe_ me?"

"You don't even care about your own teammate," spat Haruka, "seeing as how you did _nothing_ while she was being attacked and just _stood_ there when Saturn showed up. Aren't your orders to obey me? So tell me what happened!"

Her answer was a left hook.

"Shut the fuck up, Haruka!" Miranda snarled as her charge picked herself up off the floor. "You know _nothing_ about what happened! You weren't even _there_! We _do_ care about Titan, but we had to slaughter a few walls of Yami to get to her! Besides, you don't even remember things right!"

"Oh?" the Wind Senshi challenged. "Don't remember things like what?"

"Like my orders, for one thing," her Guardian snapped in a condescending tone. "And the fact that you believe you can see what's happening when you're not there. You're not a psychic."

"I know your orders say you have to obey me," Haruka spat. "So obey already and tell what happened!"

"Your memory has holes in it," Miranda bit out, managing to keep her anger under control. "I _don't_ obey you anytime except at Court, and we're not there right now. Good-bye, oh lovely charge."

With those spiteful words, the blood-covered Wind Guardian stalked out of her charge's home, not realizing that her uniform had turned into a form-fitting dress from old times during the conversation.

This was when Haruka noticed that she could see no blood other than what was on Miranda and her odd dress, although there had been many bloody deaths in the room less than a half hour before.

What the _hell_ was going on?

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Sailor Neptune frowned as she headed downstairs. Something felt off…

There were vanishing, bloody bodies almost everywhere and she had to watch her step and fight her stomach. There was still the globe of power surrounding the house, though it was deep violet now and the broken, black one had faded completely.

She quickly got out of the way as Saturn, pulsating with deep purple power came her way and headed up the stairs. _Guess she didn't find him,_ she thought to herself. Then an idea struck her and she pulled out her Aqua Mirror.

"Show me the one for which Sailor Saturn searches," she commanded as mist began to roll over the surface of her Mirror and then clear when she made her order.

All that the Senshi of Water saw was darkness.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Saturn cursed her bad luck as she headed up the stairs and into the bathroom where her sister and Tahi were.

"You need to calm down," the rainbow-haired woman said softly as Saturn pushed open the door. "Her magic's reacting to it, even though she should be tending to herself instead of you." The woman did not turn around from her spot at the bathtub where she was using warm water and a damp, clean cloth to separate Hikari's clothes from her bloody wounds and the words were like a slap in the face to the Senshi.

"Sorry," she muttered, sitting down on the toilet lid to watch, since there was nothing she could do to help. "So why are we doing this the long way, again, and not letting me just heal her once we get all the bandages off?"

"The Master used his magic to tie her closer to him when he beat her," Tahi explained patiently, not letting her hatred of the man color her voice or affect her hands. "She was bound to him in the beginning of her time with us, while you and your Kingdom were celebrating that the Guardians would be returning home in a few days. So long as Rena exists, neither she nor Titan can ever be free of him. But they've managed to keep away from him long enough that his commands do not carry the same force to her that they do for the rest of us. So when he attacked here, he brought backup in case she got it into her head to run. He probably also brought the men to keep anyone else who might be in the house from interfering. The Master used his magic to strengthen his ties to her and essentially infected her. We won't know the full extent until she wakes up and tells us, I'm afraid. How was your hunting?"

The Senshi was momentarily thrown by this change in topic. "Bad. He got out, somehow. And the Guardians left while I was searching, so that shield's gone too. Oh, Miranda and Haruka were having a fight when I came up here. Apparently, everybody's been reborn, but no one's talking to their vessels. That, or the vessels aren't listening."

"Maybe it would help if you stopped referring to those born in and for this world as 'vessels' and started treating them like separate people," Tahi suggested, her voice cold and brittle. She was one who had been reborn and remembered her _entire_ past and the two personalities had, over time, become one person. "Currently, the rightful owner of the body has no way to contact their 'partner' from the past. The two of you keep yourselves separate and refuse to communicate, then wonder why you barely survive a fight." She gave a sigh of disgust. "You Senshi can be so _arrogant_."

"Arrogant?" Saturn demanded. "How so? And what's the 'rightful owner' shit, anyway? What the—?"

"You _are_ arrogant, the lot of you. You believe that your knowledge tops all, that since you are Senshi, you have the right to do whatever you please, whenever you please. You don't wonder why the Guardians or anyone else was reborn, since your immediate and ever-so-obvious answer is for your comfort in this strange world." Tahi's voice had become cruel and mocking, but stayed so soft that only Saturn, still sitting next to her, could hear. "It has yet to occur to you that your High Queen did not intend for the Guardians to live, or for anyone beyond her daughter's Court and those fighting against their will to be reborn. It has also not occurred to you that _Hotaru_ is the rightful owner of that body, not you. _She_ would still have been born whether or not your Queen sent your soul to Earth at this time. _She_ is the one who has memories in that body, not you. _You_ merely grab control of the body from her whenever you awaken, doing whatever you please, no matter who it hurts. After all, you're a _Senshi_. You're _special_. You can do whatever you want."

For a long moment, the only sounds in the bathroom came from the cleaning of Titan's body. The Senshi of Healing wanted to cry that the words were not true, that she did not behave like that, that she could tell her old friends did not, but it would be _her_ words which would be false, not those of the Yami woman. There was far too much uncomfortable truth laid out for her to deny any of it.

"Is this also your personal opinion or just a way to make me give Hotaru back her body, even though she won't take care of Titan?"

"Does it matter?" the rainbow-haired warrior retorted. "My personal opinion is _mine_ and not subjective to your curtailing of ugly truths. Hotaru needs her body back, but you owe her an explanation. Your sister will be fine, with or without you, Saturn, until she is fully healed. With luck, she'll wake up and go into a healing trance before too long. Without it, the Master's bonds will strengthen and they won't be so easily broken this time. Your presence or lack thereof will not affect this. So explain everything to Hotaru and give her back her body."

Saturn battled the conflicting urges to hurt Tahi for the insults and to leave her alone because this woman was, for completely unknown reasons, important to Titan. Before one urge could smother the other, there was a tiny whimper from the bathtub.

"I hurt, Mom," Hikari whispered when her eyes finally focused on Tahi above her. "Why'm I in the tub?"

"You're bleeding, little one," the Yami replied softly, ignoring the child's grimace when another bit of her clothes and skin parted company. "We need to keep your clothes from being glued to your body and to replace them with clean bandages. Think you can manage a healing to get rid of the taint?"

"Think so," Hikari murmured, "but there's a _lot_. It's gonna take a long time."

"So _why_ can't I heal her?" Saturn demanded angrily, finally catching her sister's attention.

"Hi, 'A'er," Hikari mumbled, "I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie," Saturn replied instantly with a smile, all emotions being drowned in her love for her baby sister and the need to protect her. "Now, why can't I heal you?"

"Because there's something inside me that'd make us both sick if you healed me," Hikari answered. "Just help Mom with my outside and I'll fix the inside, 'kay?"

Saturn sighed but agreed as Hikari slipped into a deep healing trance.

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger," Tahi smirked, handing the other woman a dry cloth.

Saturn glared at her, but made no move to deny it as they got to work.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Taylor was waiting in the kitchen when the Wind Guardian made it home, fuming mad and unconsciously stirring up gusts of wind around her.

"Well?" the blue-haired Guardian demanded, her voice icy. "What idiocy did you inflict on Haruka that you walked home across town in _that_?" She nodded towards the thin, bloody, originally-pale yellow, backless, sleeveless dress that Miranda was wearing. "_And_ whip up winds to chill you more than you were, atop of it? Explain."

"She has more holes than memories," the blonde snarled, stalking to the bathroom and stripping off the bloody dress as she turned on the bath water. "It pissed me off."

"They all do," Taylor answered, following her lover. "Titan hasn't attacked Hotaru, even though we all know how dependent she was on Saturn, and _they're_ living together. Being pissed off isn't good enough."

"Titan might not have attacked Hotaru, but she didn't call for help when she needed it, either," Miranda snapped. "We found out she was in trouble on _accident_. Someone was _beating_ her and _we didn't know!_ We couldn't do _anything_ until it was almost too late! _Now_ tell me I can't be pissed off!"

"I'm not saying you can't get angry," the aqua-haired woman answered, turning off the faucet as Miranda got in the tub and handing her a bar of soap. "I'm saying you shouldn't take it out on Haruka without a good reason."

"She doesn't have any right to order me around like I'm her slave," the blonde growled as she savagely scrubbed away at the gore on her body. "She _ordered_ me to tell her what happened to Titan! If she'd actually had the decency to _ask_, I might've answered. But no, no, she can't remember that I'm equal! I have to be inferior because I'm her protector. She has to _order_, she can't _ask._ Dammit, I _hate_ this!" Saying this, she burst into tears.

"I hate this, I hate it, hate it, hate it," Miranda sobbed. "I want Uranus back. She didn't order me around or scream at me when I screwed up. I hate this, I hate it."

"I know, love, I know," Taylor murmured, wrapping her arms around her lover and rubbing the other woman's back, ignoring the damage to her clothes. "I hate it too. We just have to live with it for a bit longer. They'll remember soon, I know they will. Then things can go back to the way they were before. Everything will be all right again. Just have hope and patience. We'll be fine. She'll remember soon and she'll stop hurting you. Just hold on for a bit longer. It'll be worth it, it _has_ to be. They'll remember soon. They have to. They just _have_ to."

They stayed like this until Miranda ran out of tears and started to pull away. "I'm okay now," she rasped.

"Like hell," Taylor said with a smile, tears still brimming in her eyes as she grabbed the bar of soap. "You still need to finish cleaning." Saying this, she began scrubbing at the fine layer of dried blood covering most of Miranda's body that didn't want to come off.

"Okay, okay," the blonde laughed, trying and failing to squirm away from Taylor's grip and the soap.

The mood of anger and depression was broken, replaced by playfulness and flirting.

If only they could stay so happy forever.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Kori Mary played with her pencil, staring at the notebook in front of her, but seeing nothing. Something felt wrong… but it had nothing to do with Titan or any of her other teammates. Checking her mini-computer she'd created as a child on Suisei only made her feel worse, as it showed nothing amiss within Tokyo. So what was she feeling? She wasn't an empath like Io, so it wasn't someone else's emotions… What else could it possibly be?

"Maybe something's wrong with Ami," Mary sighed, rubbing her temples. Ever since they were little children in this life, with no memories of the Silver Millennium, Mary had always been able to tell if something was wrong with Ami, whether she had been picked on, if someone had hit her, whether she was ill, or if she were simply having a bad day.

Quickly deciding that she would go halfway across Tokyo at ten-thirty at night, Mary proceeded to grab her coat and boots. True, she held power over ice and snow and was rarely cold, but sometimes she needed to act like a normal human. Her grandparents, who had been looking after her since her parents had been killed, nearly fourteen years ago, had recently been convinced to take a vacation to Hawaii and that, yes, thank you very much, Mary was capable of fixing herself meals, doing homework, and getting to bed on time. Of course, there was an obligatory phone call to them each night, else they would cancel their trip and return on the next flight home. _They _really_ need that vacation,_ Mary thought to herself as she tugged her gloves on. _Glad I already called them tonight._

Thinking this gave the Suisei Guardian a moment of debate. Should she or should she not call Dr. Mizuno and ask if it was okay to come over? True, the doctor had many years ago said that Mary was always welcome and there was no need to call ahead, but it was so very late…

The girl stepped out of the apartment, locking the door behind her as she quickly shook that thought out of her head. Yes, it was late and she was uninvited, but it would be worse to call, ask about Ami, and be told her charge and friend was fine. Something felt wrong, and the more Mary thought about it, the more certain she was that it had to do with Mizuno Ami.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Dr. Mizuno stood outside her daughter's door, torn between the desire to go in and try to fix the unknown problem that had her daughter crying and the desire she had to let Usagi, her daughter's first friend in Crossroads, do her best to fix it. Her dilemma was interrupted by the doorbell.

_Who would come calling at this time of night?_ she wondered as she went to the door.

"Sorry I'm coming over here so late," murmured the welcome sight as she stepped into the penthouse, "but I was worried about Ami. Is she all right?"

"No," the doctor sighed, shaking her head. "She came home from the arcade this afternoon and asked if her friend Tsukino Usagi could spend the night. I agreed and Usagi-chan went home to pack her stuff, agreeing to be back around seven, which is when we usually eat dinner. Ami took a nap and woke up in a panic. She must have called Usagi-chan—or the girl is just like you—because her friend was here ten minutes later. Ami won't talk to me about whatever it is. Usagi-chan went into her room the moment she arrived, and neither has left it since. They won't say so much as a word to me. I can still hear Ami crying if I stand by the door. That's been almost nonstop since she woke up. Do you think you can help?"

"I can try," Mary agreed slowly, hanging up her coat and slipping off her dripping snow boots. "But I don't know how much success I'll have."

"You've always been able to calm her down and make her feel better, Mary," Ami's mother sighed. "Thank you."

_Don't do that just yet,_ Mary thought to herself. _I haven't done anything._

Moving down the hall, the girl placed her hand on the doorknob of her charge's bedroom and slowly turned it.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Usagi was at a loss of what to do with her blue-haired friend. Ever since Ami had called on the communicator, asking her not to wait until seven, and looking horrible, the Moon Princess had been worried. There wasn't much that could make the Senshi of Ice cry, let alone bawl off and on for nearly five hours. What intelligible words the girl could get out of the genius consisted of "fool," "pain," "duty," "dead," and "Guardian." The only thing Usagi could do that even slowed the tears was holding Ami and telling her that everything would be all right.

She was ready to go against her Senshi's unspoken orders and get Ami's mother when there was the slightly eerie _creak_ of Ami's door slowly opening and a girl with shoulder-length blue hair stuck her head in. "Ami? Can I come in? Or will I be turned into an ice statue?" Usagi then noticed just how cold the room was and that everything had flecks of ice on it.

Ami's head shot up from Usagi's shoulder and she stared at the newcomer for a second before leaping up and running to her oldest friend, wrapping vice-grip arms around the guest's waist.

"Ami," the girl murmured. "Can you let go for a minute? Otherwise the door will shut and smash your fingers in the process." The Senshi of Wisdom let go of her friend for the short moment it took for the girl to step into the room and the door to shut and then latched right back on.

"I'm sorry, Marina," she sobbed into the taller girl's sweater. "I'm sorry. I didn't think… didn't think you'd… you'd die. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." The girl started at the name "Marina" but quickly got over it and worked on calming down the hostess.

"Ami, shush," she ordered, her voice both hard and gentle. "Now. It's not your fault, okay? There's nothing to be sorry _about_. So stop apologizing and crying. We don't want your eyes to freeze shut."

"But it _is_ my fault!" the girl protested. "If I hadn't fought Zoicite, then—"

"He would've gotten to Serenity and quite possibly killed her," the stranger interrupted, "which was not something either of us could allow to happen. Besides, you fought him and we can't change that."

"But I got you killed!" Ami shouted. "What about _that_?"

"You did no such thing," the other snapped back, her eyes turning cold. "I got in the way because I could and I had no desire to see you die. I'd already seen enough people I cared about die that day, all right? I didn't want to add you to the list."

"So you died instead?"

"Not quite," the girl admitted, her former composure and strength gone, as her gaze moved to the wall, unable to meet anyone's gaze. "He only just missed my heart. I was barely alive when the Silence hit. Only a tiny portion of my spirit was left in my body. As to the rest…" she shrugged. "Not sure where it went, but it's in my body now. Are you going to stop crying yet?"

"Stupid…" Ami whispered into her friend's chest. "You could have _told_ me when I first became a Senshi."

"Except that I was helping take care of a grandmother with a broken hip and wasn't even in Crossroads, remember? Five years ago?" Then she looked up from the Ice Senshi's head and met Usagi's astonished gaze. "I'm Kori Mary, by the way."

"I'm Tsukino Usagi," the Moon Princess heard herself answer automatically. "Why are you here?"

"Something felt weird and my friends were all fine—for the most part. I wasn't worried about my grandparents, so I assumed something was wrong with Ami and came over," Mary answered easily. "Looks like it's a good thing I did."

The blonde heard her voice agree and returned her gaze to her friend, who was just now letting go of Mary and wiping her eyes. "Sorry," the blue-haired girl mumbled. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Done what?" Mary asked calmly as she stepped away from the door and sat down in the middle of the room by Usagi. "Try to squeeze the life out of me? That, I'd agree with. Not so much the tears and screaming. You needed to do it, nothing's broken, and no one's dead, so it's no big deal. Now come sit down and explain what happened, _calmly._"

Ami scowled at her friend, but sat down, the three of them in a circle. "Well, Usagi-chan and I were going to have a sleep-over tonight. I was tired, so I took a nap when I got home. Usagi-chan wasn't supposed to be over for two or three hours. When I fell asleep, I had a dream where…"

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Mamoru was dreaming. He _had_ to be. Elysion had _never_ been this beautiful, not even in Endymion's memories. Even the best and most glorious of the memories did not come close: this world glowed happily with the magic filling and caring for it, filling every stem of grass to the petals on the flowers. Even the air itself held this beautiful magic, forming a dim mist from being over-saturated.

"Who did this?" he wondered aloud. "How could this place change so much so quickly?" The Prince had visited Elysion a few months back, on his birthday. The place had been flourishing and had completely healed from Nepherina's attacks, but this was far above and beyond that.

"You know who did it, my Prince," Helios said softly, appearing behind the man, dressed in his white robes, "even if you do not know it now. This change has been gradual and over the course of thousands of years. It has had more power to work with in recent times, now that you remember yourself. You have finally opened your eyes to the true beauty of this place, my Prince. I was hoping you could see my home this way at least once and my wish has finally been fulfilled, after so long."

"Did I never see this place as Endymion?" Mamoru asked, looking in confusion at his priest.

"Never in all its glory," came the whispered answer. "There were many times when you came close, but you never quite got it. Lily, on the other hand…" His words trailed off in a sigh.

"Lily?" the raven-haired man prompted, even as he felt something pulling on him, drawing him deeper into the gardens and the gentle, magical mist.

"Someone very close to you," was all Helios would say, though he gave his Prince a sad smile. "Now I must go and attend to my duties. You would do well to remember yours as well."

The wielder of the Golden Crystal was confused by the rebuke within the last statement—after all, wasn't his only duty to protect Serenity and Earth? Wasn't he already doing that?—and took the easy way out: following whatever was tugging at him to walk into the mists.

A few minutes later, he discovered a turning and followed the pull to take the left, spying something though the fog. Was that a _girl_ he saw, tending to the flowers?

Suddenly, the walls of roses on either side flung themselves at each other and wove a barrier between him and whatever was caring for the plants.

"What the—?" he heard a familiar voice cry out in shock. "Stop that! Just because he hasn't been here for a while doesn't mean he doesn't belong. Now go back to where _you_ belong." Slowly, the weaving of thorny flowers began to unravel, the stems returning to where they belonged. "That's it," the voice continued gently, softer now, and soothing in quality. "Go back to your beds. He belongs here. He just hasn't been home in a while, that's all. Nothing to get so excited over. He won't hurt me. That's good, calm down, back to your beds."

After a few moments, the roses had parted enough that he could see through them to the girl on the other side. She had left her place kneeling farther down the path to come up to the barrier, touching the plants as she murmured to them. Eventually, they all returned to their proper places and she sighed with relief. The air around her glowed a yellow and green tint of magic, making it hard to really see her features.

"Now I just have to prune the lot of them." She sighed again. "That'll be _fun_," she grumbled sarcastically. "We hate it and it _hurts_."

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked softly, trying to figure out where he knew this girl's voice from. He had heard it recently, he was sure.

"Pruning hurts," the young woman explained, turning to face him as the light around her slowly dimmed. "It involves getting rid of unwanted growth and dead bits of plants, and I feel every moment of it. Not all the bits that are gotten rid of are dead. That's why it hurts, Endy."

"Do I…know you?" he couldn't help but ask. There still was no name to match the face coming into view. Beautiful raven hair, midnight blue eyes… who did she remind him of?

"You do and you don't," she sighed sadly, looking beyond him. "You've met me recently, but you knew nothing of my powers or my true self. You knew me long ago and were a bit jealous that my ties and magic were stronger than yours." Then she smiled. "Don't hurt your brain by thinking about it too much, Mamo-kun. Ask Endy next time he wakes up. He'll probably hurt you enough without the added pain of thinking too hard. He's very overprotective. Come find me when you wake up, okay? I need to leave." With those words, she moved forward the few steps between the two of them and flung her arms around his neck, breathing in his scent deeply as she tried not to cry. His arms wrapped around her and he marveled that she smelled so strongly of earthy things when she seemed to be more a creature of the heavens. "I've _missed_ you, Endy. Remember soon, please," she whispered before fading into the fog, becoming less solid until she vanished from his arms. "I love you."

Mamoru just stood there, staring at the nothingness down the path. Who was this strange young woman who said she loved him that he had one time known? He knew she was important to him and his past, but how? He felt that she knew both his past as Chiba Mamoru—all the details, including the things he had forgotten due to the amnesia—and as Crown Prince Endymion of the Golden Kingdom.

The protector of Earth stood staring, feeling the memories beginning to come, though not coming far enough to do more than tickle, and felt Endymion somewhere in the back of his mind, trying to make something understood. Soon, though, the memories began to truly come and one formed fully within his mind, shoving all others out of the way for the moment.

_He was standing with a girl slightly smaller and a few years younger than him, watching the sunrise from the garden. He was dressed in a simple tunic and breeches, since they would be working as much as they could in the garden today. Finally, it was a true holiday and there were no more formal clothes!_

_She drew back her black hair into a ponytail with one hand as the wind whipped it every-which-way and secured it with a tied band, bringing his attention to the thick bracelets upon her wrists and the long, green gloves she wore._

"_Why the uniform, Lily?" he asked, dismayed. Why must she constantly be working, never just able to spend time with him as Lily, not as the Guardian of Terra and its Prince? "We'll just be in the gardens."_

"_True," she admitted, grinning at him, "but I like it. It reminds me who and what I am. Besides, it's cool and the day is going to be hot!" She laughed and pulled him down the stone steps. "Bet you can't beat me to the fountain!" Then she took off through the maze of flowers, forcing him to race after her before he lost sight of her…_

The memory was slow to fade and was soon overrun by others as the floodgates in his mind opened.

He _remembered_.

He remembered _everything_.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Lily woke up crying. _Damn_ the Crystal, taking away everything important! Everything that had truly mattered to her had been ripped away and was now dangled in front of her, tantalizing and just out of reach. _Damn_ the Queen for doing this! The Guardian of Earth rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, muffling her sobs that did nothing to ease her grief. Was everything she loved to be forever just _barely_ too far away to grasp?

A quarter hour later, an unusual sound broke her out of her cycle of self-pity. The phone was ringing.

"This is an ungodly hour to be calling, so there better be a _damn_ good reason," she snapped into the mouthpiece as she picked it up, hoping the roughness in her voice would be taken as having just woke up, rather than the truth of tears.

"Um… Lily-san?" Lily felt her heart stop and her breath catch at the sound of the voice on the other end. The voice continued, "I'm sorry if I woke you up. It's just… Can we talk?" It was Mamoru.

"How did you get my number?" she asked slowly, trying to shut down her overactive imagination and aching heart. He didn't remember. He _couldn't_. But… then why was he calling her so early? Taking a quick glance at her clock, the Guardian smothered a groan: it was 2:26 in the morning.

"It… it was in your backpack. I took it home with me when the Crown was closing and you still hadn't come back. Motoki-kun said he didn't want to leave it at there, but couldn't take it home because his sister would probably mess with it. Apparently, her backpack and yours look alike. So… can we talk?" Mamoru repeated softly, scared that she would say no. After all, he had no _proof_ she was the girl from his dream, no matter what his gut said. It could be entirely possibly that she was someone else and he had interrupted Lily's sleep for no reason. "I'm sorry I woke you up," he added.

"S'okay," she sighed, pulling herself upright in her bed. Staying lying down meant she could fall back asleep and she didn't want that to happen. "What do you want to talk about and why couldn't it wait until morning?"

"It's about Helios and the Silver Millennium… and you and me," he whispered, convinced that she was going to hang up or be clueless.

The silence lasted for so long Mamoru became convinced his phone had died.

"Lily?" he asked, worried.

"I'm here," she answered absently. "Just thinking. Why don't you come over here and we can talk? I don't think either of us want to do this over the phone."

"What's your address?" the Prince asked, instantly relieved.

"Check my bag," she answered. "You don't seem to have a problem going through my things. Bring it with you when you come over."

"But—" He didn't _want_ to search through her things, but he'd had no other choice!

"You called me, you get to work a bit," she answered with a yawn. "We don't live too far apart, so I'll see you in a bit, Mamo-kun." Then she hung up.

With a groan, she wandered over to her dresser and started pulling things out. Her brother may have seen her in pajamas before and had no problems with it, but Mamoru was still a stranger and they were _not_ children by any means. There was no way he was coming into her apartment without her being dressed respectably.

A few moments later, she was jerking the blankets off her ally and friend.

"Christy, get up," she ordered. "Mamo-kun's coming over."

"Give me my blankets back," the green-haired woman muttered sleepily, curled up in a ball to preserve warmth. "It's _cold_."

"You can sleep in my bed," Lily answered. "Mamo-kun's coming over."

"What?" the Guardian of Meiousei demanded, sitting up as the words penetrated her sleep-fogged mind. "It's the middle of the night!"

"He called and apparently remembers something," the younger girl replied, distantly surprised that her glee wasn't showing. "So I invited him over and we're gonna talk. You can spend the night in my bed."

"M'kay," Christy yawned, grabbing her blankets back and stumbling towards the bedroom.

When Lily checked on her friend a few moments later, the older girl was fast asleep and Lily no longer had someone to vent her nervous energy on. With a sigh, the Guardian of Earth began to use that energy to straighten up the apartment, waiting for Mamoru.

It seemed to take forever for the doorbell to ring, but once it did, Lily quickly invited him in and took back her belongings.

"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" she asked as they sat down; him on the couch and she into a chair. She took the time to observe him, to see who he had become in the millennia since she had last seen him. He was wearing rumpled clothes: either he'd fallen asleep in them or they were the clothes he had worn that day. She couldn't remember what he had been wearing when he helped her with her homework, just that it had been dark, like the clothes he now wore. Lily didn't know whether to be offended that he didn't bother to try to look decent when coming to the house of someone who was basically a stranger or not care since it was only two in the morning. After a moment of thought, the Guardian went with the latter. It was too _early_ to be dealing with emotions!

"Er… what do you remember about the Silver Millennium?" he asked nervously, refusing to meet her eyes.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she answered. "It would be better to ask me what I _don't_ remember. It's a much smaller list."

Mamoru was visibly taken aback. "Why… why are you so bitter? Was it really so horrible for you? It didn't seem that way at the time… What happened?"

"My life began and ended over a thousand years ago, Mamo-kun," she answered seriously, what little light was in her eyes dying out. "My heart just hasn't stopped beating yet, that's all. What I have now is almost _nothing_ compared to what I once had. Aside from you, I have no family and it's not like we know each other. My friends almost all lived in the past and I'm not exactly close to anyone else."

"Wait… we're really related?" Mamoru choked out, his mind unable to focus on anything else.

Lily laughed, some of the light coming back into her eyes. "Yes, we are. But I was a baby when the crash happened, so don't ask me for information. I know less than you, seeing as how I remember absolutely nothing. A surname is all that connects us."

"Then where did you spend your childhood?" the Prince wanted to know. "If you were at the hospital with me wouldn't they have kept us together?"

Lily shook her head. "I never ended up in the hospital. Helios found me and brought me to Elysion. Then, when he figured I could take care of myself, he helped me buy this apartment. I have enough money to get by. Now let's stop dissecting my second childhood, okay? It's irritating and not getting us anywhere."

"Well, I guess I want to know if you're… if you…" Dammit, why did his voice box have to shut down _now_? He'd come over with the purpose of asking this question. He couldn't just stop now! "If you're my… my…" _Dammit!!_

"Little sister?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He nodded, shamefaced. "Yes. In both lives. Soldier first, sadly. Then family."

"Why?" he demanded. "Shouldn't it be the other way around? Being a soldier is your _job_, not your _life_!"

"First off, I owe the Moon my life and sanity," she sighed. "Since you remember at least _some_ things, try to remember _why_ I went to the Moon in the first place. Secondly, I took some very powerful oaths. They pretty much boil down to being a soldier and protecting two certain people—and a planet, by default—before everything else."

"But _why_?" Mamoru demanded, his voice breaking. "Why did you choose killing over _me_?"

Lily was stunned. Was _that_ what he thought she'd done? "That's not what I did, Endy," she tried to explain. "I wanted to be a Guardian because it meant—to me, at any rate—that I could pay you back for looking after and taking care of me when I was little. Also, you were more than a bit dense when it came to some things that could get you hurt or killed," she grinned slightly at the memory. "Not to mention your habit of rushing into danger to protect someone, even if they could take care of themselves just fine. Me taking my oaths prevented you from doing that so much, though I obviously couldn't stop it completely," she added darkly.

Blushing from embarrassment, Mamoru quickly changed the subject. "Say, do you remember when Mother wanted one of the rose gardens replaced with a stone wall and you raised a fit?"

"And when Mother ignored me and sent people to start getting rid of the garden, they couldn't get in?" she laughed. "How could I forget? You were the only person who could come in, but that was just because I knew you wouldn't try to hurt all the plants. Mother had such a fit over that!"

"It was funny to listen to Father trying to explain to her about your magic, though," he added, trying not to laugh at the memory. "She couldn't understand that magic wasn't always just a biddable force, that you sometimes had to do what it wanted instead. She kept thinking that, magic or no magic, no child should be more powerful than she was, especially when it came to the upkeep of her own palace!"

"Oh, and didn't you…?" The conversation went on and on, neither participant noticing as the hours flew by, the sun slowly beginning to make its appearance before they came back to themselves and throats that were far too dry.

However, almost as soon as the siblings became aware of how much time had passed, their bodies began to protest this disruption of their sleep cycle.

When Christy left the bedroom in the morning, her eyes met the sight of Lily sleeping in a ball in the armchair and Mamoru, fast asleep on the couch.

"Guess I'm the only one eating breakfast," she laughed softly, covering up the siblings with blankets before going into the kitchen and digging out some cereal.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

Rei sighed and rubbed at her eyes, exhausted. She had been trying to do a proper fire reading for the past hour and she was getting _nothing_ worth trying to translate.

"Are you going to stop yet, Princess Mars?" Phobos asked, sticking her head into the meditation room. One upside to having a human body meant that she could come inside when it got cold.

"I need to do this, Phobos," Rei growled, too grumpy and tired to try to convince the crows to call her by her given name. "Something feels wrong and there's an enemy coming. We need to be ready and this will help."

"Not if you kill yourself trying," Deimos scolded, following her sister into the room. "Besides, the enemy's already here. I think they've been lying low for years, seeing as how all of them are human."

"Magical," her sister admitted, "but human. Now, are you going to come out of this room of your own free will or are we going to drag you?"

"I need to get _something_," Rei argued. "I feel like I'm useless. Hotaru's cousin got hurt because no one was there to protect her and there's no reason they won't come after the Senshi too."

"Even if they do, the Senshi will be just _fine_ for today," Deimos said firmly, coming over and grasping Rei by one of her arms. Her sister came over and grabbed the Senshi's other arm. Together, they dragged the miko out of the meditation chamber and to her bedroom.

"Get dressed," they ordered. "If you don't have things to do around here that _don't_ include worrying, moping, or going anywhere near that room again, we can go wandering around town. It's not like Granpa Hino won't be glad to see you getting out some." Then the twins left, locking the bedroom door behind them.

Groaning, Rei looked around her room, realizing just how much time she had spent in there lately. When not with her friends, she tended to hole up and keep to herself, or work herself to exhaustion, especially with this feeling of impending doom that had been making itself known the past few weeks.

Maybe doing as the twins ordered would help, if only to get her mind off the sense that the Senshi were in over their heads and the end of this enemy would not be a good one. With a sigh of defeat, the Senshi of Fire began looking around her closet for a suitable outfit to wear while going shopping.

**±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±——±**

**AN:** Sorry I took so long//kowtows// Things just kept happening and then I got the evil WB!!! Forgive me and show me love?


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